marked the first time in the UK that a song created for the Christmas market would hit number one. In April 1955, Valentine again topped the bill at the London Palladium for two weeks, a month after winning the male vocalist category in the NME poll. He went on to win this title consecutively from 1953 to 1957. In 1961, he had a television series Calling Dickie Valentine. In 1966 Valentine partnered with Peter Sellers on the ATV sketch show The Dickie Valentine Show. Although his fame began to wane during the 1960s, he remained a popular live performer until his death. Death After having played a concert at the Double Diamond Club in Caerphilly, Wales, Valentine was travelling back to a friend's home where he was staying, and was killed outright in a car crash on a single-lane bridge at Glangrwyney, near Crickhowell, Wales, on 6 May 1971, at the age of 41, together with pianist Sidney Boatman and drummer Dave Pearson, both aged 42. The coroner's inquest revealed that the car was travelling in excess of at time of impact, and that Valentine was driving his wife Wendy's Hillman Avenger, with which he was unfamiliar, while awaiting delivery of his new customised car. He had lost control of the vehicle while attempting to take a dangerous, clearly marked bend. Even though he had travelled on that stretch of road many times and was familiar with its hazards, it was thought that his attention might have been distracted by conversation with his friends, in addition to fatigue, the crash having happened at 4:20am. There was also heavy fog in the area. The coroner returned a verdict of "death by misadventure". Valentine is interred at Slough Crematorium. Plaque A commemorative plaque was unveiled on the new bridge on August 7, 2021, by his son Richard Valentine and other family members and friends of the three musicians. Personal life He married Elizabeth Flynn, a Scottish professional ice skater, in 1954. They had two children together, Richard (later a television director) and Kim, but divorced in 1967. Valentine married the actress Wendy Wayne in 1968. Prior to the car accident, Wayne and Valentine were scheduled to undertake a twenty-week summer season at the Water Splash in Jersey. Discography Albums Presenting Dickie Valentine (Decca, 1954) Here Is Dickie Valentine (with the Skyrockets) (Decca, 1955) Over My Shoulder (Decca, 1956) Heartful of Song (Philips,