Richard Fairbrass | |
---|---|
![]() Fairbrass performing in 2015 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Richard Peter John Fairbrass |
Born | [1] Kingston upon Thames, Greater London, England | 22 September 1953
Genres | Pop, dance |
Occupation(s) | Singer and television presenter |
Instrument(s) |
|
Years active | 1976–present |
Member of | Right Said Fred |
Website | www.rightsaidfred.com |
Richard Peter John Fairbrass (born 22 September 1953) [1] is an English singer, bassist, and television presenter, best known as lead singer of the pop group Right Said Fred, who achieved hits in the early 1990s including the singles " I'm Too Sexy" and " Deeply Dippy". He and his band have won two Ivor Novello Awards. [2] Sold over 50 million dollars in record sales.
Before forming his own band, Fairbrass was a bassist who had played with several prominent artists, including Boy George. [3] In 1984, he appeared in Jazzin' for Blue Jean, a video by David Bowie, as the bass player. [4] Towards the end of the 1980s, Fairbass joined with his brother Fred to form Right Said Fred. The Fairbrass brothers performed as a duo for a brief period, touring in New York City. Guitarist Rob Manzoli joined them in 1990. [3] In 1994, he was joint winner of Rear of the Year with Mandy Smith. [5] Following this, Fairbrass co hosted on BBC Two, (with Rhona Cameron), a television series called Gaytime TV (1995–1999) which was aimed at an LGBT audience.
In December 1998, Fairbrass presented BBC One's Naked Eurovision, a behind the scenes documentary about the Eurovision Song Contest 1998 in Birmingham. [6] From June to August 2001, he co presented with Gabrielle Richens a game show, The Desert Forges, on Channel 5.
In April 2007, Fairbrass was reported to be planning to run for Mayor of London in the 2008 Election. [7]
During a gay rights rally in Red Square, Moscow, on 27 May 2007, commemorating the 14th anniversary of the de-criminalisation of homosexuality in Russia, Richard Fairbrass and Peter Tatchell were violently assaulted by members of a counter demonstration staged by ultra-nationalists. They were subsequently arrested and detained by Russian police. [8] [9]
Fairbrass was born on 22 September 1953 [1] in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England, and was brought up in East Grinstead, West Sussex. He has a younger brother, "Fred" (born Christopher Abbott Bernard Fairbrass on 2 November 1956). [10]
Richard came out as bisexual in 1991 to The Sun. Richard's long-term partner, from 1982 until 2010, was Stuart Pantry, a BBC make up artist, who died in September 2010 of cancer. [11] Fairbrass has also said he appreciates "pretty guys who look like girls and girls who look like pretty guys." [12]
Fairbrass was hospitalised with COVID-19 in 2021, but has spoken out against COVID-19 measures and has been skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccine. [13]
Fairbrass has routinely commented on the 2022 war in Ukraine, often speaking in support of Russia's invasion and Vladimir Putin's justifications for the conflict. In December 2022, he published a tweet on his personal Twitter profile, calling on Putin to resist "western domination". [14] He has also described Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian government as a despotic regime. [15]
Richard Fairbrass | |
---|---|
![]() Fairbrass performing in 2015 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Richard Peter John Fairbrass |
Born | [1] Kingston upon Thames, Greater London, England | 22 September 1953
Genres | Pop, dance |
Occupation(s) | Singer and television presenter |
Instrument(s) |
|
Years active | 1976–present |
Member of | Right Said Fred |
Website | www.rightsaidfred.com |
Richard Peter John Fairbrass (born 22 September 1953) [1] is an English singer, bassist, and television presenter, best known as lead singer of the pop group Right Said Fred, who achieved hits in the early 1990s including the singles " I'm Too Sexy" and " Deeply Dippy". He and his band have won two Ivor Novello Awards. [2] Sold over 50 million dollars in record sales.
Before forming his own band, Fairbrass was a bassist who had played with several prominent artists, including Boy George. [3] In 1984, he appeared in Jazzin' for Blue Jean, a video by David Bowie, as the bass player. [4] Towards the end of the 1980s, Fairbass joined with his brother Fred to form Right Said Fred. The Fairbrass brothers performed as a duo for a brief period, touring in New York City. Guitarist Rob Manzoli joined them in 1990. [3] In 1994, he was joint winner of Rear of the Year with Mandy Smith. [5] Following this, Fairbrass co hosted on BBC Two, (with Rhona Cameron), a television series called Gaytime TV (1995–1999) which was aimed at an LGBT audience.
In December 1998, Fairbrass presented BBC One's Naked Eurovision, a behind the scenes documentary about the Eurovision Song Contest 1998 in Birmingham. [6] From June to August 2001, he co presented with Gabrielle Richens a game show, The Desert Forges, on Channel 5.
In April 2007, Fairbrass was reported to be planning to run for Mayor of London in the 2008 Election. [7]
During a gay rights rally in Red Square, Moscow, on 27 May 2007, commemorating the 14th anniversary of the de-criminalisation of homosexuality in Russia, Richard Fairbrass and Peter Tatchell were violently assaulted by members of a counter demonstration staged by ultra-nationalists. They were subsequently arrested and detained by Russian police. [8] [9]
Fairbrass was born on 22 September 1953 [1] in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England, and was brought up in East Grinstead, West Sussex. He has a younger brother, "Fred" (born Christopher Abbott Bernard Fairbrass on 2 November 1956). [10]
Richard came out as bisexual in 1991 to The Sun. Richard's long-term partner, from 1982 until 2010, was Stuart Pantry, a BBC make up artist, who died in September 2010 of cancer. [11] Fairbrass has also said he appreciates "pretty guys who look like girls and girls who look like pretty guys." [12]
Fairbrass was hospitalised with COVID-19 in 2021, but has spoken out against COVID-19 measures and has been skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccine. [13]
Fairbrass has routinely commented on the 2022 war in Ukraine, often speaking in support of Russia's invasion and Vladimir Putin's justifications for the conflict. In December 2022, he published a tweet on his personal Twitter profile, calling on Putin to resist "western domination". [14] He has also described Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian government as a despotic regime. [15]