Lulu

Birthday: 3 November 1948, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Birth Name: Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie

Height: 155 cm

Born in Glasgow in 1948. As a teenager, she toured the northern clubs with her band, "the Luvvers". After her initial success with a cover of "Shout" reaching #7 in 1964, Lulu went ...Show More

Born in Glasgow in 1948. As a teenager, she toured the northern clubs with her band, "the Luvvers". After her initial success with a cover of "Shout" reaching #7 in 1964, Lulu went on to establish herself as one of the biggest-selling British female singers of the 1960s. She made her film début in To Sir, with Love (1967), starring Sidney Poitier, and performed the title song, which went to No. 1 in the U.S., but was only released as a B-side in the UK with the A-side, "Let's Pretend", making #11. She was one of four joint winners of the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest with "Boom Bang-a-Bang". In 1969, she married The Bee Gees' Maurice Gibb, and moved more into family entertainment, building on the success of her self-titled BBC television show. She recorded a version of David Bowie's song "The Man Who Sold the World," which reached #3 in the UK charts (it hadn't charted for Bowie), and sang the title theme to the James Bond feature The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), both in 1974.After marriage to celebrity hairdresser John Frieda, with whom she had one son, Jordan Frieda, Lulu's career moved more into occasional adverts and pantomimes. The 1990s saw her divorce again and, in 1993, she released the hit album, "Independence". Along with her brother, she also penned the song, "I Don't Wanna Fight", which was performed by Tina Turner on the soundtrack to What's Love Got to Do with It (1993), and aged 44, she finally topped the UK charts with the British boyband, Take That, with a cover of "Relight My Fire". She went on to contribute to the soundtrack of the Tim Rice/Elton John musical, "Aida", in 1999, front her own short-lived prime-time UK lottery show on BBC TV, Red Alert with the National Lottery (1999), and starred in the film Whatever Happened to Harold Smith? (1999).In 2002, she released an album of duets entitled "Together", featuring the likes of Paul McCartney, Elton John, Cliff Richard, Sting and Ronan Keating, along with a best-selling autobiography. In 2003, she released her "Greatest Hits" album, which débuted at #35 in the UK charts. Hide

Its hard to do the work if you don't have the right people around you. Its hard to do the work if you don't have the right people around you.

I was raised in a flat in central Glasgow. I don't like to call the area a slum because I have an av Show more I was raised in a flat in central Glasgow. I don't like to call the area a slum because I have an aversion to that word, but perhaps I'm being a bit oversensitive. My mother was very proud and everything in our tiny home was spotlessly clean and we had good blinds and nice furniture, but we never really had any money.It was a huge issue for my mother and she used to hide wads of cash under the carpet and kitchen lino. We didn't move very often, but whenever we did we would lift the carpets and lino to take with us and we'd always find money under there. My mum was definitely a worrier and she left little sums of money to each one of us children, which was heartbreaking considering she'd never had anything.For the first 25 years of my career I found it very difficult to refuse work - I emerged from my childhood with a good work ethic, but only because I was fuelled by the fear of not having enough. Hide

If you are a woman, expensive shoes are always a bad buy. You never use them enough to justify the c Show more If you are a woman, expensive shoes are always a bad buy. You never use them enough to justify the cost. Hide

[on Elton John's Brits Icon award] Only The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and Elvis [Elvis Presley] ar Show more [on Elton John's Brits Icon award] Only The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and Elvis [Elvis Presley] are at the top with him. So it's perfectly fitting he should get the first Icon award. Hide

I liked her strength. I thought she was a very strong leader, like a strong headmistress in a school Show more I liked her strength. I thought she was a very strong leader, like a strong headmistress in a school. (On Margaret Thatcher) Hide

Botox - hasn't everyone had it? It's a poison, but then so is chocolate. Botox - hasn't everyone had it? It's a poison, but then so is chocolate.

Fear is unreasonable and sometimes it creeps up on you. I'm not a rich woman, I would say I'm comfor Show more Fear is unreasonable and sometimes it creeps up on you. I'm not a rich woman, I would say I'm comfortable, but I've heard rich people say they remain conscious of money because of their upbringing so maybe it stays with you forever. I don't think money makes anyone happy, but it gives you a freedom of choice. I have finally realised that I don't have to tour unless I want to. Hide

[on Susan Boyle] She has a rare, wee voice. [on Susan Boyle] She has a rare, wee voice.

[on Benedict Cumberbatch] He's a great speaker. [on Benedict Cumberbatch] He's a great speaker.

I do have to say that I have always had angels on my shoulders. I do have to say that I have always had angels on my shoulders.

On the two occasions I've been married our finances were meshed together. We had separate bank accou Show more On the two occasions I've been married our finances were meshed together. We had separate bank accounts, but also a joint bank account.Would I do it all differently if I got married again? I don't think I would get married again, but I suppose I should never say "never". I think I would do it differently because I now realise I was looking for a husband to be able to take responsibility for me. I've learnt to do that myself - the dream is unrealistic. Hide

I'm not great on history but I do love our Royals. I'm not great on history but I do love our Royals.

I do sit on the fence on this one. If those who live in Scotland want independence then why shouldn' Show more I do sit on the fence on this one. If those who live in Scotland want independence then why shouldn't they have it? However, one of my mottos for life in general is 'united we stand and divided fall'. As a human race I can't help thinking we are stronger together. Hide

I'm not a natural saver. My mother used to take things to the pawnshop and my father never saved a d Show more I'm not a natural saver. My mother used to take things to the pawnshop and my father never saved a day in his life so there was no example for me. They were unsophisticated and I had to learn to fend for myself. I've always made sure I've taken good advice. Hide

I've learned that you should eat breakfast like a queen, lunch like a princess and dinner like a pau Show more I've learned that you should eat breakfast like a queen, lunch like a princess and dinner like a pauper. Hide

Lulu's FILMOGRAPHY

as Actor (160)

American Idol - Season 13

Blankety Blank - Season 17

Heartbeat - Season 8

Who Do You Think You Are - Season 21

Strictly Come Dancing - Season 13

American Idol - Season 17

Blankety Blank - Season 2

American Idol - Season 10

Who Do You Think You Are - Season 13

Strictly Come Dancing - Season 14