Laurie Holloway

Laurence Holloway MBE (born 31 March 1938)[1] is an English pianist and composer from Oldham, Lancashire, England.[2] He is perhaps best known as the Musical Director for Michael Parkinson's chat show, firstly on the BBC then ITV. He also was Musical Director for the first three series of Strictly Come Dancing on the BBC.

He was married to singer Marion Montgomery from the 1960s until her death in 2002. They had a daughter, Abigail (b. 1967).

He has appeared with the London Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Concert Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic, and the Boston Pops Orchestra as both conductor and lead pianist. His TV work has included composing several well-known TV theme tunes such as Wicked Women, Maggie and Her, Blind Date and Beadle's About. He also composed "Hook, Line and Sinker" for the 1970 LWT fishing series Casting Around.

In 1990 Holloway accompanied Queen Elizabeth II and her sister, Princess Margaret, on the piano for a recording the two made of Scottish childhood songs at Buckingham Palace for the 90th birthday of their mother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. A single cassette was produced featuring a dozen songs, but the recording was lost after the Queen Mother's death.[3]

He has been awarded the Gold Badge of Merit by the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters and he has appeared as the subject of This Is Your Life.[4] He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to music.[5]