Patty Brard
Patty Brard (born Petula Louise Brard on March 25, 1955, in Sorong, New Guinea) is a Dutch entertainer and entrepreneur of Indo (Dutch-Indonesian) descent. She is a TV personality and a singer notable as a former member of the girl group Luv'. For four decades, she has often hit the headlines of the tabloid press. In the late 1970s, Luv' scored a string of international hit records such as "You're the Greatest Lover", "Trojan Horse", "Casanova" and "Ooh, Yes I Do" on the charts. The group reunited on several occasions. Since 1983, Brard has been active on television as a host/presenter. She hosted the Candid Camera-like TV programs such as De Bananasplit Show and Gaan met die Banaan as well as the 1985 edition of the San Remo Festival and the 2001 version of Big Brother. Inspired by the success of The Osbournes, she appeared in reality television shows that featured her life, the most popular being Patty's Posse (2003–2004). Her participation in the ice skating competition Sterren Dansen Op Het IJs (2007) and the celebrity diving competition Sterren Springen Op Zaterdag (also known as Celebrity Splash!) were highly covered events. Since 2007, she has been a showbiz expert on the entertainment news program Shownieuws on SBS 6. Brard was also involved in other shows on the same channel including De Nieuwe Uri Geller ("The new Uri Geller"), Wie Ben Ik? ("Who Am I?"), K2 zoekt K3, Bonje Met De Buren ("Trouble With Neighbours") and the Dutch version of Dancing On Ice. In 2009, 2013, 2015 and 2019, she signed exclusive deals with SBS Broadcasting B.V. (taken over by Talpa Network in 2011). Currently, she is working as a freelance TV host. Since February 2020, Patty Brard has launched collections of household items, jewellery and skincare lines in association with Kruidvat shops in the Netherlands. In 1976, she was recruited by Hans van Hemert to be part of a girl group called Luv' with José Hoebee and Marga Scheide. On December 31, 1979, Luv' received the Buma Export Award. The trio scored a string of hit records in Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, France, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mexico. In 1980, she left the group and took part in two comebacks with Luv' (in 1993–1996 and in 2005–2012). In 1981, Brard was the first Luv' member to start a solo career. She recorded in the 1980s three albums (All This Way, You're in the Pocket and Red Light) in Los Angeles. She collaborated with sought-after session musicians (including Billy Preston, Paulinho Da Costa, Paul Jackson, Jr. and Jai Winding). Brard's American recordings were not as popular as those of Luv' (except the single "Hold On To Love" which was a Top 20 hit in the Netherlands, a Top 10 hit in Belgium and which reached the 12th position in South Africa in 1981). ... Source: Article "Patty Brard" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
