Christopher Biggins reveals he feared Frank Sinatra was ‘going to shoot him’ when he asked him to step outside during George Burns’ Hollywood birthday party in LA

Christopher Biggins once attended a lavish dinner party in LA with Frank Sinatra, Joan Collins and Michael Caine, among others.

But he revealed he feared the late crooner Sinatra would ‘shoot’ him when he asked him to go out after dinner.

The pair celebrated American comedian and actor George Burns’ birthday in Hollywood as they sat together at the ‘Joan Collins’ table.

Christopher, 75, told the My dirty laundry podcast: ‘Joan called one day and said, “Look, we’re having a birthday party for George Burns”.

‘George was a huge comedian. He was extraordinary. And I went to that birthday party and they had it in the foyer, with 400 people, in the foyer of [billionaire and Paramount boss Marvin and his wife Barbara Davis’s] At home.

He said: ‘Sitting one distance from Frank Sinatra, I thought if my mother saw me now, I mean, she wouldn’t believe it. And it was fantastic’ (Frank pictured with third wife Mia Farrow in the 60s)

Christopher said the real reason Frank wanted him to go outside was because he “wanted a cigarette and his wife wouldn’t let him smoke,” so Christopher stood guard and they talked.

‘There were 40 tables of 10. And every table was covered with stars. I mean, there was the Michael Caine table, there was the Sidney Poitier table, there was the Joan Collins table, there was the Jackie Collins table, there was, just everyone,

“I was put on the hostess table, and then I sat next to Shakira Caine. I knew Shakira, and next to Shakira was Frank Sinatra. Then there was our hostess, and then there was George Burns. Then there was one of the couple’s daughters.’

He said: ‘Sitting one distance from Frank Sinatra, I thought if my mother saw me now, I mean, she wouldn’t believe it. And it was fantastic.

“I called him sir, and I called him Mr. Sinatra. And finally he said to me, ‘Christopher, call me Frank!’ So I thought, well, I can’t let this moment pass.

‘So I said, ‘Frank, about eight years ago in London I was playing Nathan Detroit in Guys And Dolls,” and he said, “You know that, Christopher? Me too,” and I thought that was it, I can die now and go to heaven.

“And then after dinner he asked me out into the hallway, and I thought he was going to shoot me because he was allegedly associated with the mafia.

‘But actually he wanted the cigarette and his wife wouldn’t let him smoke, so I stood guard and we talked. And that was one of the highlights of my life. I mean, you know, extraordinary that this should happen.”

His words come after King Of The Jungle Chris said in 2007 that I’m a celebrity… now I need to rest, he admits he no longer recognizes half of the so-called famous faces chosen to appear.

Christopher also said that while he enjoyed his own time on the ITV program – pocketing £50,000 – it ‘had its day’.

He said: ‘The show was great for me. And I’m looking at it now. It is interesting. I don’t know half the people in it.

“I mean, I’m a celebrity… Get me out of here is a bad term. I think they should let it rest in a way because I think it’s had its time.

Joan imagined herself kissing Sinatra next to Dean Martin in the 1962 Everett Collection

Christopher also said on the podcast: I’m A Celeb… which he won in 2007 must now rest as he has his eye on fellow contestant Janice Dickinson.

‘But it was just absolutely amazing. Of course Ant and Dec are brilliant.’

He continued: “I’ve loved every minute of it. And people now come to me for advice, when they’re asked to do it, whether they should do it.

“And I say, you know, the point is, it’s a great experience. I loved every moment.

‘The next year I made a fortune after winning it. So it’s good, but you have to win it to be there.’

He added: ‘The only thing about it is that it’s very boring because you only see one hour of our 24 hours. So there are endless scenes of people doing nothing but just lying around trying to have a conversation with their boring roommates.

“But when you win it, it’s incredible. It changes your life, changes your career, which it certainly did for me. And it was just amazing.”

Christopher used the money he earned to buy a one-bedroom apartment, which he rents out, providing him with a steady income.

He added: ‘It’s a very, very smart show. I mean, it’s very clever in so many ways.

Christopher has had 60 successful years in showbiz and considers Joan Collins one of his best friends (pictured together in June 2023)

“I mean, it puts you on edge. It makes you, you don’t, what you should never do is ever be a character.

‘You always have to be yourself, because you can’t maintain character in three weeks. You know, you’ll get caught. And many people are left out. And it’s amazing how people fail to do that and don’t see it through to the end.’

And one person he didn’t get along with was Janice Dickinson, 69, who came in second on the show.

He said: ‘I was with the awful Janice, an American model, and we were the last two to take part in the show. I was convinced she had won, and she was convinced she had won too.

‘So when they said, “This year, the KING…” oh, I couldn’t believe they said king, and she was like, she absolutely couldn’t believe it, immediately left to go back to America.

“She wasn’t a good loser, but she hasn’t done anything since, so I can’t complain. She was pretty awful, I can tell you.”

Biggins famously played a sex-crazed vicar in Poldark – just like you!

He became a household name after starring in the children’s comedy show Rentaghost in the ’70s and ’80s

And looking back on some of the stranger moments that took place, he said: ‘I was there doing things I didn’t know I could do physically or mentally and it was just amazing.

‘You know, I had to eat a kangaroo’s penis and as I said on the show at the time, ‘I’ve had worse things in my mouth.’

“And then I had a kangaroo’s ball and I bit it and all this liquid exploded in my mouth and I had to chew the bag, throw it away, let it go down. And nine months later I gave birth to a Joey,” he joked.

Christopher has had a lucrative career with leading roles in Rentaghost, I Claudius, Some Mother Do ‘Av ‘Em and he also played a sex-crazed vicar in Poldark.

And while he is financially satisfied, he said, “I think I would be a very good multi-millionaire. There are many friends I would help because times are tough and it would be great to be some kind of benefactor to so many people I know.

“And it would be great. But I’m, you know, amazed at how I’m still here after 60 years in the business.”

Listen to the full interview here or follow @mydirtylaundrypodcast on Instagram or TikTok.