Opal Bonfante
Encyclopedia
Opal Bonfante is a British television and radio presenter.
Opal currently hosts various shows on British satellite TV, including Gala TV
, the television channel of Gala Bingo. She was a pioneer of podcasting, presenting a series of interviews titled Living Legends; among her interview subjects were former member of The Monkees
, Davy Jones
, illusionist Uri Geller
and, in his first interview for fifteen years, Peter Townshend from The Who
. She also presented a national radio show on Big L 1395
called London Calling, which initially featured live interaction with the audience; she resigned while on air in 2007, citing creative differences with the station's new management, who had reportedly been behind major alterations to the format of the show.
She can currently be heard on Hull radio station KCFM
presenting the weekday late show.She is also one of the spellmasters on the Times Spelling Bee, Britain's first national spelling competition for schools.
Opal is a staunch animal rights
activist and vegetarian. Opal supports charities such as the RSPCA and PETA
and gave away the valuable fur coats left to her by relatives to London's homeless community.
on her show, London Calling, she arranged a number of interviews with well known legends from the last fifty years of music, film and television. The section of her show became known as Living Legends and also became available as a podcast.
Guests Opal has Interviewed on Living Legends
Opal currently hosts various shows on British satellite TV, including Gala TV
Gala TV
Gala TV is a bingo channel in the United Kingdom which launched on October 4, 2006 replacing Avago. The channel was due to be launched on September 13, 2006, but due to technical problems it was held back. Gala TV is produced by production company etv media group...
, the television channel of Gala Bingo. She was a pioneer of podcasting, presenting a series of interviews titled Living Legends; among her interview subjects were former member of The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
, Davy Jones
Davy Jones (actor)
David Thomas "Davy" Jones is an English rock singer-songwriter and actor best known as a member of the Monkees.-Early life:...
, illusionist Uri Geller
Uri Geller
Uri Geller is a self-proclaimed psychic known for his trademark television performances of spoon bending and other supposed psychic effects. Throughout the years, Geller has been accused of using simple conjuring tricks to achieve the effects of psychokinesis and telepathy...
and, in his first interview for fifteen years, Peter Townshend from The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
. She also presented a national radio show on Big L 1395
Big L 1395
Big L is the name of a broadcasting company registered by the British licensing authority Ofcom from for a satellite radio service known as Big L. The license states that the station "… will provide an eclectic mix of rock and pop, both modern and classic. News and weather will be broadcast hourly...
called London Calling, which initially featured live interaction with the audience; she resigned while on air in 2007, citing creative differences with the station's new management, who had reportedly been behind major alterations to the format of the show.
She can currently be heard on Hull radio station KCFM
KCFM
KCFM is an independent local radio station based in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. This new licence was advertised by Ofcom in 2006. It is owned by the Lincs FM Group-Background:...
presenting the weekday late show.She is also one of the spellmasters on the Times Spelling Bee, Britain's first national spelling competition for schools.
Opal is a staunch animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
activist and vegetarian. Opal supports charities such as the RSPCA and PETA
Peta
Peta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Wilson, an Australian actress and model* Peta Todd, English glamour model...
and gave away the valuable fur coats left to her by relatives to London's homeless community.
Celebrity interviews
During Opal's time at Big L 1395Big L 1395
Big L is the name of a broadcasting company registered by the British licensing authority Ofcom from for a satellite radio service known as Big L. The license states that the station "… will provide an eclectic mix of rock and pop, both modern and classic. News and weather will be broadcast hourly...
on her show, London Calling, she arranged a number of interviews with well known legends from the last fifty years of music, film and television. The section of her show became known as Living Legends and also became available as a podcast.
Guests Opal has Interviewed on Living Legends
- Pete TownshendPete TownshendPeter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
from The WhoThe WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
- Richard CarpenterRichard Carpenter (musician)Richard Lynn Carpenter is an American pop musician, best known as one half of the brother/sister duo The Carpenters, along with his sister Karen Carpenter. He was a producer, arranger, pianist and keyboardist, and occasional lyricist, as well as joining with Karen on harmony...
from The CarpentersThe CarpentersCarpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of sister Karen and brother Richard Carpenter. The Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and...
- Dave DaviesDave DaviesDavid Russell Gordon "Dave" Davies is an English rock musician best known for his role as lead guitarist and vocalist for the English rock band The Kinks....
from The KinksThe KinksThe Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a... - Davy JonesDavy Jones (actor)David Thomas "Davy" Jones is an English rock singer-songwriter and actor best known as a member of the Monkees.-Early life:...
from The MonkeesThe MonkeesThe Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
- Susanna HoffsSusanna HoffsSusanna Lee Hoffs is an American vocalist, guitarist and actress. She is best known as a member of the all-female pop band The Bangles.-Early life:...
from The BanglesThe BanglesThe Bangles are an American all-female band that originated in the early 1980s, scoring several hit singles during the decade.-Formation and early years :...
- Uri GellerUri GellerUri Geller is a self-proclaimed psychic known for his trademark television performances of spoon bending and other supposed psychic effects. Throughout the years, Geller has been accused of using simple conjuring tricks to achieve the effects of psychokinesis and telepathy...
a good friend of Michael JacksonMichael JacksonMichael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
- Peter TorkPeter TorkPeter Tork is an American musician and actor, best known as a member of The Monkees.-Early life:Tork was born Peter Halsten Thorkelson in Washington, D.C.. Although he was born in 1942, many news articles report him as born in 1944 in New York City as this was the date and place given on early...
from The MonkeesThe MonkeesThe Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,... - Peter FalkPeter FalkPeter Michael Falk was an American actor, best known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in the television series Columbo...
from television's Columbo - Bernard ManningBernard ManningBernard John Manning was an English comedian and nightclub owner. He was born and raised in Manchester in northwest England....
from television's The Comedians - Marty WildeMarty WildeMarty Wilde is an English singer and songwriter. He was among the first generation of British pop stars to emulate American rock and roll, and is the father of pop singers Ricky Wilde, Kim Wilde and Roxanne Wilde.-Career:Wilde was performing under the name Reg Patterson at London's Condor Club in...
- Dave Berry
- Andy WilliamsAndy WilliamsHoward Andrew "Andy" Williams is an American singer who has recorded 18 Gold- and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri,...
- Wayne FontanaWayne FontanaWayne Fontana is an English pop singer. In 1962, he formed his backing group, the Mindbenders and got a recording contract.-Biography:...
from The MindbendersThe MindbendersThe Mindbenders was a 1960s beat group from Manchester, England. They were part of the mid 1960s British Invasion with their chart-toppers "Game of Love" and "A Groovy Kind of Love".... - Reg PresleyReg PresleyReg Presley is an English singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer with prominent 1960s rock and roll band The Troggs, whose best known hit was "Wild Thing", though their only UK number one single was "With A Girl Like You"...
from The TroggsThe TroggsThe Troggs are an English rock band from the 1960s that had a number of hits in UK and the US. Their most famous songs include, "Wild Thing", "With a Girl Like You", and "Love Is All Around"... - Frankie LaineFrankie LaineFrankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio , was a successful American singer, songwriter, and actor whose career spanned 75 years, from his first concerts in 1930 with a marathon dance company to his final performance of "That's My Desire" in 2005...
- Tony BarrowTony BarrowTony Barrow is an English press officer who worked with The Beatles between 1962 and 1968. He coined the phrase "The Fab Four", first using it in an early press release.-Life:...
press officer for The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
from The Walker BrothersThe Walker BrothersThe Walker Brothers were an American 1960s and 1970s pop group, comprising Scott Engel , John Walker , and Gary Leeds... - Bobby RydellBobby RydellBobby Rydell is an American professional singer, mainly of rock and roll music. In the early 1960s he was considered a so-called "teen idol"...
- Kenny ThomasKenny ThomasKenneth Cornelius "Kenny" Thomas is an American professional basketball player. He currently is a free agent.He attended Austin High School, in El Paso, Texas, for three seasone before moving to Albuquerque, New Mexico to play for Albuquerque High School during his senior season...
- Chip Hawkes from The TremeloesThe TremeloesThe Tremeloes are an English beat group founded in 1958 in Dagenham, Essex, and still active today.-Career:They formed as Brian Poole and the Tremoloes influenced by Buddy Holly and The Crickets...
- Dawn PorterDawn PorterDawn Porter is a British television presenter and writer. She was born in Scotland, but grew up in Guernsey.-Early life:Porter's mother died of breast cancer two days before her seventh birthday, and she was then raised by her aunt...
author of Diaries of an Internet Lover - Jim BowenJim BowenJim Bowen is an English stand-up comedian and TV personality. He is best known as the host of the ITV gameshow Bullseye, which he hosted between 1981 and 1995.-Early life:...
from Bullseye - Stan BoardmanStan BoardmanStan Boardman is an English comedian.- Early life :Boardman was evacuated with his family to Wrexham during World War II, and after the family returned to their Merseyside home mistakenly thinking the area had escaped the German bombs, his elder brother Tommy was killed in a bombing raid.He had...
from television's The Comedians - Lance BurtonLance BurtonLance Burton is a stage illusionist. He has appeared on numerous television programs, and also performed for Queen Elizabeth and President Ronald Reagan...
- The Amazing Jonathan
External links
- Official website
- Podcasting News
- http://www.timesspellingbee.co.uk/ The Times Spelling Bee
- Gala Bingo TV
- Merry Media News Details of resignation from Big L.