Christopher Biggins reveals he feared Frank Sinatra was 'going to shoot him' when he asked him to step outside during George Burns' Hollywood birthday party in LA
Christopher Biggins once attended a lavish dinner party in LA with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Joan Collins and Michael Caine.
But he revealed that he feared the now late crooner Sinatra was going to 'shoot him' when he asked him to step out into the corridor after dinner.
The pair were celebrating the birthday of American comedian and actor George Burns in Hollywood when they were seated together on the 'Joan Collins' table.
Christopher, 75, told the My Dirty Laundry podcast: 'Joan rang one day and said, "Look, we're having a birthday party for George Burns".
'George was a huge comedian. He was extraordinary. And I went to this birthday party and they had it in the foyer, 400 of us, in the foyer of [billionaire and Paramount boss Marvin and his wife Barbara Davis's] home.
Christopher Biggins told the My Dirty Laundry Podcast he once feared Frank Sinatra was 'going to shoot him' when he asked him to step outside during George Burns' Hollywood birthday party he attended with Joan Collins in LA, (Christopher and Joan pictured recently)
He said: 'To be sitting one away from Frank Sinatra, I thought if my mother could see me now, I mean, she wouldn't believe it. And it was fantastic' (Frank pictured with third wife Mia Farrow in the 60s)
Joan pictured kissing Sinatra alongside Dean Martin in 1962's Everett Collection
Christopher said: 'To be sitting one away from Frank Sinatra, I thought if my mother could see me now, I mean, she wouldn't believe it. And it was fantastic.
'There were 40 tables of 10. And each table was star-studded. I mean, there was the Michael Caine table, there was the Sidney Poitier table, there was the Joan Collins table, there was the Jackie Collins table, there was, just everyone,
'I was put on the hostess' table, and then I sat next to Shakira Caine. I knew Shakira, and then next to Shakira was Frank Sinatra. Then there was our hostess, then there was George Burns. Then there was one of the daughters of the couple.'
He said: 'To be sitting one away from Frank Sinatra, I thought if my mother could see me now, I mean, she wouldn't believe it. And it was fantastic.
'I called him Sir, and I called him Mr. Sinatra. And eventually he said to me, 'Christopher, call me Frank!. So I thought, well, I can't let this moment go by.
'So I said, "Frank, about eight years ago in London, I played Nathan Detroit in Guys And Dolls", and he said, "Do you know, Christopher? So did I", and I thought that's it, I can die now and go to heaven.
'And he then asked me out into the corridor after dinner, and I thought he's gonna shoot me because he was reportedly linked with the mafia.
'But in fact, he wanted the cigarette and his wife didn't allow him to smoke, so I stood guard and we talked. And that was one of the highlights of my life. I mean, you know, extraordinary that should happen.'
His words come after 2007 King Of The Jungle Chris said I'm A Celeb... should be rested now, admitting he no longer recognises half of the so-called famous faces that are chosen to appear.
Christopher also said that while he loved his own time on the ITV programme - pocketing £50k in the process, it 'has had its time.'
He said: 'The show has been wonderful for me. And I watch it now. It's interesting. I don't know half the people who are in it.
'I mean, I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here is a wrong term. I think they should give it a rest in a way because I think it's had its time.
Christopher also said on the podcast: I'm A Celeb... which he won in 2007, should be rested now, as he slated fellow contestant Janice Dickinson
[video_shortcode_video_html_5 src="https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2024/05/21/1487628094102748222/1024x576_MP4_1487628094102748222.mp4" itemprop="image" content="https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2024/05/21/1487628094102748222/1024x576_MP4_1487628094102748222.mp4" data-src="https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2024/05/21/1487628094102748222/1024x576_MP4_1487628094102748222.mp4"]
'But it has been just absolutely wonderful. Of course, Ant and Dec are brilliant.'
He continued: 'I loved every minute of it. And people come to me for advice now, if they're asked to do it, whether they should do it.
'And I say, you know, the thing is that it, it is a wonderful experience. I loved every moment of it.
'I went on to earn a fortune the year after, having won it. So it is good, but you've got to win it to be in it.'
He added: 'The only thing about it is, it is very boring because you only see one hour of our 24 hours. So there are endless scenes of people doing nothing, just lying around trying to make conversation with their boring housemates.
'But if you win it, it's incredible. It changes your life, changes your career, which it certainly did with me. And it was just wonderful.'
Christopher purchased a one-bedroom flat with the money he made, which he rents out, giving him a steady income.
He added: 'It's a very, very clever show. I mean, it's very clever in so many respects.
Christopher has had 60 successful year in showbiz and counts Joan Collins as one of his best friends, (pictured together in June 2023)
'I mean, it puts you on the line. It makes you, you don't, the thing you mustn't do is ever be a character.
'You must always be yourself because in three weeks, you can't maintain a character. You know, you'll be caught out. And a lot of people are caught out. And it's amazing how people don't succeed in it and don't go through to the end.'
And one person he couldn't get on with was Janice Dickinson, 69, who came second on the show.
He said: 'I was with the awful Janice, an American model, and we were the last two to be in the show. I was convinced she'd won, and she was convinced she'd won too.
'So when they said, "This year, the KING..." oh, I was, I couldn't believe they said king, and she was so, she absolutely couldn't believe it, left immediately to go back to America.
'She was not a good loser but she's not done anything since so I can't complain. She was pretty awful I can tell you.'
Biggins famously played a sex-crazed vicar in Poldark - as you do!
He became a household name after starring in children's television comedy show Rentaghost in the 70s and 80s
And reflecting on some of the stranger moments that took place, he said: 'I did things in there which I didn't know I could possibly do physically or mentally and it was just wonderful.
'You know, I had to eat a kangaroo's penis and as I said on the show at the time, "I've had worse things in my mouth".
'And then I had a kangaroo's ball and I bit into that and all this liquid exploded in my mouth and I had to chew the sack, get rid of that, make that go down. And then nine months later, I gave birth to a Joey' he joked.
Christopher has had a lucrative career starring in Rentaghost, I Claudius, Some Mother Do 'Av 'Em and he's also played a sex-crazed vicar in Poldark.
And while he is satisfied financially, he said: 'I think that I'd be a very good multimillionaire. There's lots of friends I have who I'd help because times are tough and it would be marvellous to be a sort of benefactor to so many people that I know.
'And it would be wonderful. But I'm, you know, I'm amazed at how I'm still here after 60 years in the business.'
Listen to the full interview here or follow @mydirtylaundrypodcast on Instagram or TikTok.