Grace Kennedy (singer)


Grace Kennedy is a former BBC British singer and television presenter, now luxury wedding and event designer.

Career

Singer and television presenter

Grace Kennedy was born at Montego Bay, Jamaica on 2 March 1958. She first came into the public eye after winning the TV talent show Opportunity Knocks and then also featuring in an episode of Star Treatment. She was subsequently signed up by the BBC to present her own Saturday night prime time entertainment show, The Grace Kennedy Show, which ran for six series between 1981–1983 and won a BAFTA award. Guests on the show included Bruce Forsyth, Al Jarreau, The Pointer Sisters and Derek Griffiths.
She has also appeared on other TV shows, among them The Royal Variety Performance, Live From Her Majesty's, String Sound, Saturday Night is Gala Night, Home on Sunday, Lena Zavaroni and Music, The Good Old Days, Des O'Connor Tonight, The Les Dawson Show, The Rod and Emu Show.
In 1985, she took the role of the glamorous 'Sharday' in the crime drama television series Magnum, P.I., alongside leading actor Tom Selleck.
Grace starred in the 1992 production of the musical Cotton Club, 1994 production of Carmen Jones and in the 2005 production of Thoroughly Modern Millie alongside Lesley Joseph, Elaine C Smith and Donna Steele.
Her musical career includes albums and singles released by DJM Records and BBC labels. Many of the tracks were arrangements by Peter Knight, some of these records reaching international acclaim with songs such as Starting Again reaching the top 30 in the US chart and her collaboration with 80's icon Boy George, The Wishing Well becoming a top twenty hit in the UK.

Luxury wedding and event designer

Kennedy founded and is the managing director of Grace Kennedy Events, a luxury wedding planning and event planning business which organises high end luxury/celebrity parties and weddings. The business is based in Mayfair, North Audley Street. She transitioned into this field through the experience she acquired in organising her own concerts and stage events. After being approached by Toyota to sing and organise the production of six concerts to launch a new car in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, she continued by arranging further concerts and gala events for companies like Renault, Tetra Pak, British Airways, Gillette. She then expanded her business by designing and organising luxury celebrity weddings and society events. In June 2011, she organised the wedding of Vincent & Carla Kompany.
In 2014, she was invited to present several awards at The Luxury Lifestyle Awards ceremony.
In 2018, she launched The Luxurious Destination Collection as the signature brand of Grace Kennedy Events. The collection is a partnership with a network of luxury destinations in the world handpicked by Grace, like Blenheim Palace, the Mandarin Oriental, the Royal Mansour and several discreet private islands, where the clients enjoy exclusive personal and bespoke options. There are three categories of destinations, In the Country, In the City, By the Sea.

Personal life

Grace Kennedy has a daughter, Natalie, from her first marriage. Her second marriage was to entertainment lawyer and entrepreneur Nigel Angel in 1999.