Joe Longthorne MBE was a distinguished singer and impressionist renowned for his stage and television performances. Over his career, he released three platinum albums and resided in Blackpool with his husband and manager, James Moran. He also had a son, Ricky, from a previous relationship. Longthorne passed away at his home in Blackpool on 3 August 2019, aged 64, and was laid to rest at Layton Cemetery in Blackpool. In tribute to his contributions, The North Pier renamed its theatre as The Joe Longthorne Theatre the following year, and Blackpool Council awarded him a special accolade for ‘30 Years In Blackpool,’ recognising his outstanding contributions to the town’s entertainment and tourism sectors.
Born in Hull into a musical family, Longthorne showed early talent by winning a talent show at the age of six. At fourteen, he secured a role in Yorkshire Television’s ‘Junior Showtime,’ remaining with the show for over two years. He then embarked on a professional career, performing in working men’s clubs across Northern England. His breakthrough came through the London Weekend Television series ‘Search For a Star,’ which led to prestigious engagements such as performances at the London Palladium and a month-long stint at London’s Talk of the Town nightclub. In 1988, he launched his own television series, The Joe Longthorne Show. He frequently appeared on The Les Dennis Laughter Show and The Royal Variety Performance, and also performed in US theatres and at the Sydney Opera House. Longthorne was celebrated for his renditions of songs in the style of Dame Shirley Bassey and was renowned for his impersonations of iconic figures such as Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, Johnny Mathis, and Tom Jones. His achievements were honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Variety Club in 2007, placing him among illustrious past recipients like Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, and Ella Fitzgerald. In that same year, Longthorne went on a UK tour and recorded his third collaborative album with Tim A. Duncan in Blackpool’s Berlin Studios, which became a platinum-award winning album.
In 1989, Longthorne was diagnosed with chronic lymphatic lymphoma and underwent treatment around the time of his appearance at the Royal Variety Performance. Despite his illness, he continued to perform. The lymphoma later progressed to leukaemia in 2005, leading to a bone marrow transplant. Less than a decade later, he was diagnosed with throat cancer but remained resolute in his commitment to perform, expressing in interviews his intention to continue his career post-surgery.
