Who was Lena Zavaroni and how did she die? Child superstar who shared stage with Frank Sinatra

SHARING a stage with a superstar like Frank Sinatra could be daunting for anyone, but a ten-year-old Lena Zavaroni took it all in her stride.

Sadly, fame at such a young age ended up taking its toll on her and she passed away when she was just 35. Here's the singer's story.

Born on November 4, 1963, Lena Zavaroni was a Scottish singer and TV star, who was launched into a spotlight at a young age.

Before becoming famous, her early life saw her live above her family's chippy on the Isle of Bute with her parents Vincent and Hilda.

She showed signs of being a star from a very young age, and her dad Victor sought advice from Scottish singer/songwriter Tommy Scott.

Speaking to the BBC, he said: “This wee wee girl said ‘I’m going to sing for you’, got up on the stage and I couldn’t believe it.

"She just came at me like a truck.”

Becoming a child star

Lena got her first big break into the world of showbiz when she was signed up to take part in the BBC talent show Opportunity Knocks in 1974 aged just nine.

After wowing the audience with her incredible voice, opportunity literally did come knocking for the child star.

That same year, she went onto to release her debut album Ma! (He's Making Eyes at Me), which reached number 8 in the UK Albums Chart.

She remains the youngest person to have an album in the top 10 at ten-years-old.

Following her album's success, also in 1974, Lena sang at a Hollywood charity show with Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball.

Anorexia battle

Lena's health issues first came to light when she was 15.

The teenager had just landed her own BBC primetime Saturday Night show called Lena Zavaroni and The Music.

But when she took to the stage, the young star was noticeably very thin causing concern from both viewers and staff at the Beeb.

Three years later, in 1982, Lena suffered a breakdown on stage at the Floral Pavilion in Merseyside aged 18.

The singer was admitted to All Saints Hospital, Kennington, and was taken home to Scotland to rest.

Her father Victor revealed how he took her to a doctor and, after seeing further specialists, Lena was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa.

Speaking to the BBC, he said: “I had never heard of it before. It wasn’t a known illness.

I just kept thinking maybe if she has a proper family life she will grow out of it.”

Sadly, anorexia continued to take hold of Lena for the rest of her life.

Sad death

In the late 90s, Lena opted for a pioneering leucotomy surgery at University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff in a desperate bid to cure her eating disorder and depression.

The operation involved cutting nerves in the frontal lobes of the brain.

But just weeks later, after telling medics and family she was feeling much better, she sadly died.

She passed away from pneumonia on October 1, 1999, aged 35 and weighed just four stone.

Speaking about her death, her father Victor said: “I really believe she had started eating again. But when you look back on all of it you realise it was such a disaster.”

Fellow child star and good friend of Lena's Bonnie Langford said that when she died, she believed her pal was finally "free".

She said: “As they carried her coffin down the aisle a black butterfly flew off. I said, ‘That’s Lena. There she is. She’s gone. She’s free’.”

You can hear Bonnie and Victor talk more about Lena’s heartbreaking life story in the BBC Scotland documentary, Lena Zavaroni: The Forgotten Child Star.

It charts her incredible story from becoming an overnight star, to wowing the UK and America with her charm and incredible voice.

The documentary airs on December 6, 2024, at 9pm on BBC Two.