O'Connor a fan of talent shows

Des O'Connor says he would have auditioned for the likes of Britain's Got Talent if the show had been around when he was younger - but that he doesn't entirely approve of wannabes being thrown into the spotlight.

The star, 80, who is celebrating 50 years in showbusiness, says he hasn't seen BBC One show The Voice but has watched Simon Cowell's ITV rival.

"I like all those shows because they have entertainment in them but I have some questions when there are very young inexperienced kids up there being criticised publicly," he says.

But Des admits he might have auditioned for one of the shows himself had they existed in his day, saying: "If there was a short cut all those years ago, I might have wanted to take it."

Des is taking part in a 90-minute ITV1 special, featuring famous friends including Robert Lindsay, Bradley Walsh, Matt Lucas and his former co-presenter Melanie Sykes, to mark the legendary entertainer's 50 years in showbusiness.