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They Sold a Million

Series 1

Episode 1: Ricky Valance

Duration: 40 minutes

First broadcast: on BBC One WalesLatest broadcast: on BBC One Wales

The first Welshman to reach Number One, Ricky Valance's life has been defined by just one monster hit: Tell Laura I Love Her. Despite being in showbusiness for more than 50 years he's never had another UK hit. What is it like to be known for just one song when personally and professionally you feel you are so much more? Ricky's fans may be ageing and the venues may be smaller but he still takes to the stage, determined to dispel the one-hit wonder label. In this film Ricky, born David Spencer in Ynysddu, Gwent, talks frankly about the legacy of the song he is contractually bound to sing at every gig and the ups and downs of life on the road, from Sixties adulation to nervous breakdowns. Loyal wife Evelyn says she dreams of him having another number one and, as we see him performing near his home on the Costa Blanca in Spain and at the Newbridge Memorial Hall where he met her, he reveals that, as long as his voice holds out, he'll keep on trying. Show less

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