Children's TV star Keith Harris, famous for Orville the Duck, died penniless after losing his £7 million fortune. He revealed the heartbreaking reason just a year before his death.
Career and fame
Keith Harris first appeared on TV in 1965 on Let's Laugh. He had his own show, Cuddles and Company, and was a regular on the BBC's The Good Old Days.
His character Orville the Duck earned him a UK number 4 hit with 'Orville's Song', selling 400,000 copies in 1983. His fame peaked with The Keith Harris Show (1982-1986) and The Quack Chat Show (1989-1990), both on BBC One.
Princess Diana even hired him to perform at Prince William and Prince Harry's third birthday parties.
Health and financial struggles
In 2013, at age 65, Keith underwent chemotherapy for cancer. After recovery, he revealed he had lost millions due to dyslexia.
He told the Daily Mail: “I've made about £7 million throughout my career, but I've lost it all too. I can't read or write. Reading contracts? I didn't, I just signed them. I got into trouble many times. I signed myself away for 14 years to someone once - 25 per cent I was paying. I had no idea.”
He explained he was raised to trust people but later learned 'you have to be very careful,' as 'people want to see if they can make money out of you.'
Legacy
The losses forced him to keep performing even after treatment. “You can't just sit around feeling sorry for yourself,” he said. “There's nothing for kids to laugh at now, but I'm not complaining. I've done very well, and I still do very well. I'm one of the highest-paid people at Butlin's.”
In 2014, his cancer returned, and he passed away at Blackpool Victoria Hospital in 2015, aged 67. He is remembered as one of the country's biggest children's entertainment stars.
