The generation game's isla st clair: i never thought i'd be a game–sho

WHEN the series ended, Isla presented The Saturday Show on ITV before returning to singing and recording. Born in Grangemouth, Scotland, Isla, 61, has two sons from her former marriage and

now lives in Buckinghamshire with her partner, Patrick King, a journalist and film maker with whom she tours. "I started singing aged three at my mother's Brownie concerts and with

the Salvation Army services. Then I presented folk songs on several TV and radio programmes from the age of 12. "By 19, I'd released my first record and toured across Scotland.

After living out of a suitcase for ages, I returned to Scotland where I was spotted on TV by the director of The Generation Game. "He'd been scouting the country looking for

someone to partner this camp comic called Larry Grayson and then I travelled down to London to have a meeting with the producers. "Never in a million years would I have thought about

becoming a game–show hostess, but that's what I did every Saturday night in front of 18 million viewers. "The Generation Game was good, wholesome family fun. Everybody loved it and

it's still fondly remembered to this day. Larry was a great guy – a dear man whom I liked very much. "After The Generation Game I continued working on radio and TV including ITV

kids' programme Te Saturday Show for two years, with guests such as Clif Richard and Eric Morecambe. I was also a guest on The Morecambe & Wise Show as their hillbilly sister

singing Misty. "After The Song And Te Story, an award–winning series about traditional folk songs, I played Maria in The Sound Of Music on stage. I took a break to raise my sons, who

are now wonderful young men. Then I returned to my roots singing in clubs and making albums. "I met Patrick 15 years ago when I sang on his documentary film. I'm still recording

and I enjoy touring with various stage shows including Eyes Front. "I also enjoy my garden, keeping bees and writing. I'd love to write a book about some of the incidents that have

happened in my life. It's all passed so quickly." For information on tour dates for Eyes Front and Isla's other shows, visit islastclair.com.