Christopher Biggins once attended a lavish dinner in Los Angeles with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Joan Collins and Michael Caine.
But he revealed that he feared the now-deceased singer Sinatra was going to “shoot him” when he asked him to come out into the hallway after dinner.
The couple were celebrating American comedian and actor George Burns’ birthday in Hollywood when they were sitting together at the ‘Joan Collins’ table.
Christopher, 75, told the my dirty clothes podcast: ‘Joan called one day and said, “Look, “We’re having a birthday party for George Burns.”
‘George was a great comedian. He was extraordinary. And I went to this birthday party and they had it in the lobby, 400 of us, in the lobby of the house (of billionaire and Paramount boss Marvin and his wife Barbara Davis).
Christopher Biggins told the My Dirty Laundry podcast that he once feared Frank Sinatra “was going to shoot him” when he asked him out during George Burns’ Hollywood birthday party he attended with Joan Collins in Los Angeles (Christopher and Joan in the recent photo).
He said: “To be sitting one away from Frank Sinatra, I thought if my mother could see me now, I mean, she wouldn’t believe it.” And it was fantastic’ (Frank pictured with his third wife Mia Farrow in the 60s)
Christopher said the real reason Frank wanted him out was because “he wanted a cigarette and his wife wouldn’t let him smoke,” so Christopher stood guard and they talked.
‘There were 40 tables of 10. And each table was full of stars. I mean, there was Michael Caine’s table, there was Sidney Poitier’s table, there was Joan Collins’ table, there was Jackie Collins’ table, there was just everyone,
“They put me at the hostess table and then I sat next to Shakira Caine. I knew Shakira, and next to Shakira was Frank Sinatra. Then there was our hostess, then there was George Burns. Then there was one of the couple’s daughters.
He said: “To be sitting one away from Frank Sinatra, I thought if my mother could see me now, I mean, she wouldn’t believe it.” And it was fantastic.
‘I called him sir and I called him Mr. Sinatra. And he finally told me: ‘Christopher, call me Frank!’ Then I thought, well, I can’t let this moment pass.
“So I said, ‘Frank, About eight years ago, in London, I played Nathan Detroit in Guys And Dolls,” and he said, “You know that, Christopher? Me too”, and I thought that he was already there, that now I can die and go to heaven.
And then he asked me out in the hallway after dinner, and I thought he was going to shoot me because he was reportedly tied to the mafia.
“But actually he wanted the cigarette and his wife wouldn’t allow him to smoke, so I stood guard and we talked.” And that was one of the highlights of my life. I mean, you know, it’s extraordinary that that happens.
His words come after 2007 King of the Jungle Chris said “I’m a celebrity… I should rest now.” admitting that he no longer recognizes half of the so-called famous faces that are chosen to appear.
Christopher also said that while he loved his own time on the ITV show, pocketing £50k in the process, he has “had his time”.
He said: ‘The show has been wonderful for me. And I look at it now. It’s interesting. I don’t know half the people in it.
‘I mean, I’m a celebrity… Get Me Out of Here is a misnomer. I think they should give her a break somehow because I think she already had her moment.
Joan photographed kissing Sinatra alongside Dean Martin in the 1962 Everett Collection.
Christopher also said on the podcast: I’m a Celebrity… who won in 2007, he should rest now, as he scheduled fellow contestant Janice Dickinson.
But it’s been absolutely wonderful. Of course Ant and Dec are brilliant.”
He continued: ‘I loved every minute of it. And now people come to me for advice, if they are asked to do it, if they should do it.
‘And I say, you know, the thing is, it’s a wonderful experience. I loved every moment.
‘I went on to make a fortune the next year, after I had won it. So it’s good, but you have to win it to be there.”
And he added: “The only thing about it is that it is very boring because you only see one hour of our 24 hours.” So there are endless scenes of people doing nothing, just lying around trying to make conversation with their boring housemates.
“But if you win it, it’s amazing.” It changes your life, it changes your career, which it certainly did for me. And it was just wonderful.’
Christopher bought a one-bedroom apartment with the money he earned, which he rents out, providing him with a stable income.
He added: “It’s a very, very clever show. I mean, it’s very clever in many ways.
Christopher has had 60 successful years in show business and counts Joan Collins as one of his best friends (pictured together in June 2023).
I mean it puts you in danger. It makes you, what you shouldn’t do is be a character.
‘You must always be yourself because in three weeks you cannot maintain a character. You know, they’ll catch you. And many people get trapped. And it’s amazing how people don’t get it and don’t see it through to the end.’
And one person he couldn’t get along with was Janice Dickinson, 69, who came second on the show.
He said: “I was with the horrible Janice, an American model, and we were the last two to be on the show. “I was convinced she had won and she was convinced she had won too.
‘So when they said, “This year, the KING…” oh, I was, I couldn’t believe they said king, and she was so, she absolutely couldn’t believe it, she left immediately to go back to America. .
“She wasn’t a good loser, but she hasn’t done anything since then, so I can’t complain.” It was pretty horrible, I assure you.
Biggins played a sex-crazed vicar in Poldark – just like you!
He became a household name after starring in the children’s comedy show Rentaghost in the 1970s and 1980s.
And reflecting on some of the strangest moments that took place, he said: “I did things there that I didn’t know I could do physically or mentally and it was just wonderful.”
“You know, I had to eat a kangaroo’s penis and, as I said on the show at the time, ‘I’ve had worse things in my mouth.’
‘And then I had a kangaroo ball and I bit into it and all this liquid exploded in my mouth and I had to chew through the sac, get rid of it, make it go down. And nine months later, I gave birth to a Joey,’ she joked.
Christopher has had a lucrative career starring in Rentaghost, I Claudius, Some Mother Do ‘Av ‘Em and also played a sex-crazed vicar in Poldark.
And although he is financially satisfied, he said, “I think he would be a very good billionaire.” I have a lot of friends who I would help because times are tough and it would be wonderful to be a kind of benefactor to so many people I know.
And it would be wonderful. But I’m, you know, surprised how I’m still here after 60 years in the business.”
Listen to the full interview here or continue @mydirtylaundrypodcast on Instagram or TikTok.