David Essex just announced a huge UK tour he’s calling Thanks for the Memories, in celebration of his career that spans over 50 years. The London native, 78, revealed he would be playing shows across the country and that the tour would last for 21 dates. Kicking off in September 2026, David will begin his string of shows in Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall and will conclude his performances in the capital city at the London Palladium.
What song made David Essex famous?
Hitting the airwaves in 1973, David found international fame with his hit song ‘Rock On’. He broke America and sat at number five on the US charts and number three in the UK. That hit foreshadowed what would end up being over 50 years of success in the entertainment industry, including making music and acting for both stage and screen.
© GettyDavid found international fame in 1973
Outside of his gleaming music career, in the 1970s and 80s, David branched out and took on numerous film roles in the likes of That’ll Be the Day, Stardust, and Silver Dream Racer. After finding success on screen, he turned his attention to the stage and made appearances in Godspell and Evita. Boasting a highly decorated career, David has been nominated for a Grammy award and was also honoured with an OBE in 1999.
© TV Times/Future Publishing via GDavid Essex rose to fame in the 1970s with his hit song Rock On
Who is David Essex married to?
While his professional career was peppered with success, his personal life has been a little rockier, especially when it comes to romantic relationships. David has been married three times and is currently still in a relationship with his third wife, Welsh actress Susan Hallam-Wright, 52. His previous wives include his childhood sweetheart, Maureen Neal, whom he divorced in 1996 and Carlotta Christy, from whom he split in 2008.
© Getty ImagesDavid Essex’s first wife was his childhood sweetheart Maureen
Susan and David tied the knot on 20 September, 2010 and share an age-gap of 26 years. The pair first met in 2008 while Susan was auditioning for his musical, All the Fun of the Fair and ended up getting married two years later in a private ceremony at St Cross Church in Wales when David was 63 and Susan was 37.
Speaking about her husband to The Northern Echo in 2010, Susan reflected: “David is far more talented than people realise. He’s just finished a film (Tribe) with his son Billy (Christy-Cook), who is another one to look out for. David’s very lucky to be able to go into all these different areas of the industry. I don’t think many people can do that.”
How many children does David Essex have?
© PA Images via Getty ImagesDavid at Buckingham Palace in London with his mother, Dolly, his son, Danny and his daughter, Verity
Five years after their wedding, in 2015, David and Susan welcomed their first child together, a boy named Sonny. The ‘Hold Me Close’ singer opened up about becoming a dad in his 60s and told The Telegraph: “…it’s been magical. And I say that, hand on heart. He’s a great little fellow, truly a real blessing. My wife was in her forties, so we didn’t know if we’d be lucky. But our attitude was that, if it happens, it happens. And it did.”
David has four other grown-up children from his previous marriages, Verity and Danny, who are in their 50s, from his marriage to Maureen and twins Billy and Kit, who are in their late 30s, from his relationship with singer Carlotta. He also has six grandchildren. Speaking about his five children he explained to the Sunday Mirror: “My kids are the best thing ever. They’ve got different mums, which is just the way things happen sometimes, but they all get on, they’re great.”
© GettyDavid says he is an ‘easy-going’ parent
Reflecting on his different experiences of parenting, he said: “I’m just as easy-going as I was the first four times. I’ve always left the discipline to my wives. Not that I’ve learnt anything. Kids know how to play one parent off against the other. So Mum says no, only to be told: ‘But Dad said it was OK…’ And then you find yourself in all sorts of trouble for being a pushover.”
© GettyDavid found out that his daughter had been born during a show
He also remembered the birth of his daughter, Verity, and shared that he had found out the news while performing on stage in Godspell at Camden’s Roundhouse: “…halfway through the first act, Jeremy Irons passed me a note on stage that read: ‘Congratulations, it’s a girl!’”
