80-year-old Alzheimer’s sufferer lands record deal after carpool karaoke videos

Former Butlin’s redcoat Ted McDermott has signed to Decca

An 80-year-old former holiday camp entertainer who suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease has landed a deal with Decca Records.

Ted McDermott has appeared in videos with his son Simon modelled on James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke chatshow segment.

The videos have been seen over 40 million times and raised £114,000 for The Alzheimer’s Society.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUapDaSKzys

Ted has suffered from dementia since he was diagnosed in 2013 and has trouble recognising Simon. But the former Butlin’s Redcoat has a good memory for songs he grew up listening to, which Simon has filmed Ted singing for their YouTube videos.

These include Frank Sinatra’s ‘You Make Me Feel So Young’ and Pat Boone’s 1962 song ‘Quando Quando Quando’, which Ted has recorded at Abbey Road with The Guy Barker Big Band.

The songs will be released as Ted’s debut single by Decca next week (September 23) after the label saw the McDermotts’ videos. Proceeds will go to The Alzheimer’s Society.

Decca executive Alexander Van Ingen said: “Ted’s voice is truly remarkable for any singer, let alone one of 80 years of age.”

Simon McDermott told BBC News: “This is a dream come true, not only for dad, but for the entire family. There have been some really tough days in the last few years – especially for mum. We threw an 80th birthday party last month and thought that would be his last time singing solo for people, so it’s amazing to think he now has a single coming out.”

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