Petula Clark says she ‘never had normal life’ as she reflects on 80-year career

Downtown singer Petula Clark has said she “never had a normal life”, as she reflected on her 80-year-long career.

The 93-year-old, real name Sally Olwen Clark, started her career aged nine, when she began working as a child entertainer on BBC Radio 2 during the Second World War.

Clark, who has the longest career of any British entertainer and has worked in the industry for eight decades, has discussed the “pressures” of being a performer.

Speaking to Yours magazine, she said: “Being famous as a child meant I never had a normal life.

“None of us did during the war, but the pressures of performing were there so early.

“Later on, I did suffer from depression, and I had to get help.”

Clark started her career in 1942 with her radio appearances, and made her film debut in 1943. She went on to feature in more than 30 films.

The star achieved her first major UK hit in 1954 with The Little Shoemaker, and across her decades-long career she has won two Grammy awards and has had two UK number one singles – Sailor and This Is My Song.

In 2004 Clark’s recording of 1964 hit single Downtown was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

She went on to speak about being a mother while balancing her busy career, and said: “I often felt guilty about not being a normal mother.

“When I had to leave them to work, saying goodbye was horrible.

“They still remember those times. But, they also remember travelling First Class to America.”

Clark married her husband, French-born producer Claude Wolff, in 1961.

The couple, who were together for more than 60 years, shared three children – Barbara, Katherine and Patrick Wolff.

Wolff died in 2024 following a short illness, and Clark says she is “still mourning him”.

From 2019 to 2022, the star appeared in the West End production of Mary Poppins, featuring in the musical as the Bird Woman.

When asked if she plans to keep performing, she said: “I wouldn’t rule out another show.

“But it’s a big investment for one night. Still… never say never.”

She also reflected on her life, and said: “I never thought I’d live this long. I used to think 65 was old.

“I’ve had good health, a wonderful family, I’ve met incredible people. I’ve been very lucky.”

Clark was made a CBE for services to entertainment by Queen Elizabeth II at an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace in 1998.

During her career, she has worked as a singer-songwriter, composer, actress and radio broadcaster, and has even appeared in a British comic book as a cartoon strip character.

In October this year, Clark published Is that You, Petula? – her first and only memoir.

The full interview with Petula Clark can be read in Yours magazine, available on newsstands from December 23.