MusicBox - Cilla Black - What's She All About?
Jan, 7 2026
If Liverpool born Priscilla Maria Veronica White entered her 1980’s dating show as an adult looking for a suitable male to whisk her off her feet, there would be three Cilla Blacks he could date.
- The singer
- The television presenter
- The actress.
Born 27th May 1943 she was destined to be an entertainer and it was her performances at Liverpool’s Cavern Club that caught the eye of The Beatles that allowed her to forge a music career.
The 1960’s was very much the pivotal point of her music success. Having met and signed a contract with Brian Epstein she had an illustrious decade in music. Mostly ballads and easy listening songs but they were finely crafted to suit Black’s voice.
In 1966 Black recorded the Bacharach-David song "Alfie", written as the signature song to the 1966 feature film of the same name.
For Bacharach's part, he said "... there weren't too many white singers around who could convey the emotion that I felt in many of the songs I wrote but that changed with people like Cilla Black".
This is the live version –
After her pop career had reached it’s end for the time being, Black found herself in presenting roles. Her most iconic shows were ‘Blind Date’ (1985-2003) and ‘Surprise Surprise’ (1984 – 2002). She also presented the game show ‘The Moment of Truth’ (1998-2001). At the time she was the highest paid female performer on British television and she made a successful transition from popstar to presenting.
The third and less successful Black incarnation was her acting career. It didn’t really take off with brief cameos and lack of appreciation from film critics. It was the other two Cilla’s that caught the heart of the male and the outgoing public- the desirable popstar and the comedic presenter.
Check out her official website here –
In 2013, Black celebrated 50 years in show business. ITV honoured this milestone with a one-off entertainment special which aired on 16 October 2013, The One and Only Cilla Black, featuring Black herself and hosted by Paul O'Grady. In 2006, the British public ranked Black number 36 in ITV's poll of TV's 50 Greatest Stars.
Her death on 1st August 2015 aged 72 following a fall in her holiday villa in Estepona – Spain following a period of mourning – especially from the people of Liverpool.
The day after her funeral, the compilation album The Very Best of Cilla Black (2013) went to number one on the UK Albums Chart and the New Zealand Albums Chart; it was her first number one album. In 2017, a statue of Black commissioned by her sons was unveiled outside the Cavern Club's original entrance.
Her infectious smile, angelic like voice and cheeky presenter style was what made Cilla the celebrated entertainer she will be fondly remembered by. She will stay in our hearts as the Liverpudlian lass who gave us all a lorra lorra laughs.
^Alex Ashworth CCG Content Creator
