47th in the charts with 8.01 million viewers.
This edition received a scathing review in the Liverpool Echo. Norman Thomas wrote (31st October 1986):
"DES O'CONNOR live should change its name because on last week's show there was more life in Rod Hull's Emu. This is a prime example of what could be a great feast of entertainment being ruined by the intrusion of Mr O'Connor.
The guests he invites on the show are great when they do their act, but it takes a special kind of person to be entertaining as they fight their way through all the rehearsed ad libs.
David Copperfield tried valiantly to be funny but he failed, and it was embarrassing. Des O'Connor even added a guarded apology by letting us know that Mr Copperfield had driven all the way up from Devon at two hours notice. I'd like to bet that the journey home seemed like an eternity.
Jessica Martin did her stand-up act sitting down, Edward Woodward was wheeled in via satellite for no other reason than to plug his new show, Irene Handl, who I love dearly, was wheeled in from hospital and she had no idea what was going on, and Tony Bennett was predictable.
The problem is so obvious in that as an entertainer, Des O'Connor is first class, but as a talk show host he has a lot to learn."
"DES O'CONNOR live should change its name because on last week's show there was more life in Rod Hull's Emu. This is a prime example of what could be a great feast of entertainment being ruined by the intrusion of Mr O'Connor.
The guests he invites on the show are great when they do their act, but it takes a special kind of person to be entertaining as they fight their way through all the rehearsed ad libs.
David Copperfield tried valiantly to be funny but he failed, and it was embarrassing. Des O'Connor even added a guarded apology by letting us know that Mr Copperfield had driven all the way up from Devon at two hours notice. I'd like to bet that the journey home seemed like an eternity.
Jessica Martin did her stand-up act sitting down, Edward Woodward was wheeled in via satellite for no other reason than to plug his new show, Irene Handl, who I love dearly, was wheeled in from hospital and she had no idea what was going on, and Tony Bennett was predictable.
The problem is so obvious in that as an entertainer, Des O'Connor is first class, but as a talk show host he has a lot to learn."