After Dinner Speakers: Richard Fairbrass, Tom Parker Bowles, Pat Cash

Frontman of the iconic nineties band Right Said Fred, Richard Fairbrass is known to millions as the deep-throated crooner who's just too sexy for his shirt. With the band he has achieved massive international success, selling over seventeen million records worldwide and hitting number one in twenty-eight different countries. But it wasn't always this way. Born in Kingston-Upon-Thames and raised in leafy Sussex, Richard was a bit of a country boy. With dreams of rock stardom he made his way to the big smoke and, while taking jobs as a gardener and fire-extinguisher salesman to pay the rent, he gigged throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s. Early bands included Trash, Flash and Money and The Actors. By the mid eighties, together with his brother Fred, he formed Right Said Fred and the pair began to re-style both music and look. It took seven years before they were able to turn the hard work into fame and success, but by 1991 they were the darlings of the pop world. Chart successes include I’m Too Sexy, Don’t Talk Just Kiss, Deeply Dippy and the Comic Relief charity single, Stick It Out. They have three albums to their credit; Up, Sex and Travel and Smashing, and are working on number four for release in 2001. They have twice won the Ivor Novello Award for 'most played song' and following Top Ten European success in 2001, a new single, You're My Mate, gained an autumn release in the UK. Over the last few years Richard has turned his hand to Television with regular appearances on Never Mind the Buzzcocks and as co-presenter on BBC2's Gaytime TV. His second series of Gaytime aired in the summer of 1999. In 1998 he presented The Gay Games, a BBC special covering the Amsterdam Olympics, and in the spring of 1999 he presented Eurovision Uncovered for BBC2, a behind-the-scenes look at the kitschest music event of them all. Also in the summer of 1999 he appeared on Carlton Television's Pulling Power, taking a personal look at the motorcar. In early 2000, Richard co-hosted (with Kirsty Young) Channel 5's state-of-the-nation special Britain Behaving Badly. Its popularity led to a further two specials which aired during the summer. Filmed in the Jordanian desert during autumn 2000, Desert Forges, a C5 adventure game show hosted by Richard - aired in 2001. Richard's presenting style is direct and unpretentious. He has a very natural talent as an interviewer, where he is intelligent, sincere and challenging. Outside the world of television and music he has a passion for twentieth century history and the politics of Britain and America.