As he approaches his 40th year at the very top of the tree - going all the way from touring with Buddy Holly to sharing a sofa with Robbie Williams - Des O’Connor has enjoyed a successful career on both sides of the Atlantic and around the world.

This week, HELLO! launches the serialisation of Des’s incredible autobiography.

In 1962 Des got the chance of a lifetime to appear with his ultimate hero Frank Sinatra when he was asked to host a sell-out charity concert. But during the second half of the show, promoters broke the news that Peter Sellers - not Des - was to introduce the singing legend.

“Standing below the bulb was Francis Albert Sinatra. The 1962 Sinatra, vintage Sinatra, in his prime, wearing a black mohair dress suit with an orange handkerchief in the top pocket and holding a drink in his right hand.

"As I found myself heading towards him, about five security gorillas moved towards me. I could feel heavy hands gripping my shoulders, but I babbled something along the lines of: ‘Mr Sinatra, I’m the MC of the show. I did the first half. But now they want Peter Sellers to (introduce you). I just want to stand on the side of the stage, that's all.’

“Sinatra was watching me with some fascination. He seemed half-amused. ‘Look Mr Sinatra, they all say I can’t but what I want to know is what do you say?’

“He didn’t smile. He didn’t raise his voice. He merely stared at me a little longer and uttered just four words: ‘Let the kid stay’.”

For more excerpts from Des O’Connor’s autobiography, see this week’s HELLO! magazine, on sale now.