Strictly Come Dancing legend dies after short illness as family pay heartbreaking tribute

A former Strictly Come Dancing musical director has died aged 86 (Image: BBC)

A legendary Strictly Come Dancing musical director has died aged 86 after a short illness his family confirmed. Laurence Holloway, was musical director on the first three seasons of the BBC Saturday night flagship show. He had previously worked on long running talk show Parkinson.

The English composer, who began his career as a pianist in dance bands, died after a “short illness” on Thursday, his daughter Abigail Holloway announced.

During his career, he had worked with some icons of the music industry including Engelbert Humperdinck, Sir Tom Jones, Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Sammy Davis Jr and Gilbert O’Sullivan.

He also worked with legendary comedians Mel Torme, Bob Monkhouse, Barry Humphries and Ronnie Corbett.

He was married to American jazz singer Marion Montgomery who became a household name in the 1960s and in the 1970s when she was a resident singer on Sir Michael Parkinson’s chat show, where he was later a musical director. She died at the age of 67 in 2002.

Laurence Holloway worked on Michael Parkinson's chat show for many years (Image: Family Handout/PA )

As a composer he wrote some of the most famous theme tunes on British television including the Cilla Black dating show Blind Date, game show Game For A Laugh and the hidden camera programme Beadle’s About.

In 2013, he was awarded an MBE for services to music. At his investiture ceremony, he told the late Queen of the time he played piano for her and Princess Margaret at Buckingham Palace, and recorded nursery rhymes for the Queen Mother’s 90th birthday.

“I don’t think she remembered, but I reminded her,” he said. A single cassette of the performance had been produced featuring a dozen songs, but the recording was lost after the Queen Mother's death.

In 1993 he received a gold badge from the Ivors Academy (then known as the British Academy of Songwriters Composers and Authors [BASCA]). The composer also contributed to the recording of Petula Clark’s 1960s hit Downtown.

Such was his success in his field he was also honoured with an appearance on This Is your Life.

Laurence Holloway with his daughter Abigail, who announced the news of his death (Image: Family Handout/PA)

Holloway is survived by his daughters, Karon and Abigail and three grandsons Freddie, Henry and Alfie.

The statement from his family read: “Our father was a much loved and wonderful person.

“An inspiration to his family, those he worked with and many who followed his illustrious musical career.

“He was extremely proud of the charity The Montgomery Holloway Music Trust that he created with his late wife the singer Marion Montgomery supporting young singers, for which he was awarded an MBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

“He will be deeply missed and remembered with great affection.”