Les Dawson: The Lost Tapes: Was comedy legend denied an OBE because of his love life?
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Les Dawson: The Lost Tapes revisits the comic’s legacy on Channel 5

It is nearly thirty years since he died

Les Dawson: The Lost Tapes is getting another outing on Channel 5 tonight (Thursday, December 30).

The world-weary, deadpan comic and presenter was one of British TV’s biggest stars for decades.

As well as countless variety and stand-up performances, he was also adored for his appearances on Blankety Blank and The Les Dawson Show.

Les was also an aficionado of the mother-in-law gag and gurning. And he is still fondly remembered for his Cissy and Ada sketches with Roy Barraclough.

However, since Les passed away in 1993, anyone under 30 may not be all that familiar with his TV work.

Les Dawson as Ada Shufflebotham
Les Dawson as Ada Shufflebotham (Credit: YouTube)

Les Dawson: The Lost Tapes: How did breaking his jaw ‘boost his career’?

Much has been made over the years about Les’ literary ambitions growing up interwar Manchester.

He was also reputed to have scribbled away in between shifts as a pianist in dubious establishments in Paris.

On stage and screen, his balance of curmudgeonly eloquence, resonant delivery and hilarious malapropisms were key to his act.

Read more: Charlotte Dawson in tears over diabetes fears as late dad Les also battled condition

But one tidbit Les offered in autobiography A Clown Too Many indicated how he mastered his comedic expressions.

Les apparently had his jaw broken in a boxing match. And this meant he could pull faces all the more easily by pulling his jaw over his upper lip.

How much was Les Dawson worth when he died?

Les’ exact fortune is not known.

However, reports claim the comedian may have been worth between £1million and £3million at the time of his death.

Was Les denied an OBE because of his love life?

Les was devoted to his first wife Meg, who suffered and eventually succumbed to cancer. They shared three children together – Julie, Stuart and Pamela.

Known for being a hard drinker, Les was hit hard by her death in 1986.

He later reflected: “I knew with a sickening certainty she was going to die and I plunged into a trough of self-pity.”

However, Les did find love again.

Charlotte Dawson, daughter of Les Dawson
Charlotte Dawson, daughter of Les Dawson, gurns just like her dad (Credit: FameFlynet.uk.com / SplashNews.com

But according to reports in the last 10 years, his relationship with Tracy Roper – who became his second wife – may have prevented him from having an OBE.

The Mail speculated in 2014, following FOI requests that showed Les was passed over in 1987 and 1989, the media frenzy concerning his love life may have been an issue.

Read more: Comedian Les Dawson’s daughter ‘introduces’ son Noah to his statue

The tabloid claimed that’s because Tracy was married at the time she and Les began dating.

Les and Tracy married in 1989 and remained together until his death from a heart attack.

Their daughter, Charlotte Dawson, was born in 1992. She has previously appeared in Ex On The Beach.

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Robert Leigh
Freelance writer