Derek Boote

{{Short description|Welsh singer and actor}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

Derek Boote (13 December 1942,England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 Q4 1974 Newport Volume:28 Page:0258 Anglesey East, Anglesey, Wales{{cite web|title=England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008|format=database|via= FamilySearch|url=https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVQG-6Y3S}} - 29 November 1974Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice 1975) was a Welsh singer and actor.{{cite book|author=British Broadcasting Corporation|title=BBC Handbook|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nOY4AQAAIAAJ|year=1976|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|page=113}}

Boote came from Star, near Gaerwen on Anglesey. He was educated in Llangefni and at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff.

Boote played the guitar and double bass and sang with the Welsh broadcaster Hywel Gwynfryn; they later formed a group with singer Endaf Emlyn. Boote competed in the 1971 edition of Welsh singing competition Cân i Gymru.

Boote performed alongside Ryan and Ronnie, playing the original Nigel Wyn character on their sketch show. After his death, he was replaced by Bryn Williams. He also appeared in the Welsh-language television programme Dau a Hanner (Two and a Half).{{cite book|author=Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons|title=Sessional Papers|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d0-ZbSnilL4C|year=1971|publisher=H.M. Stationery Office|page=197}}

Boote released an EP record Byw'n Rhydd on the Recordiau'r Dryw label.{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Derek-Boote-Bywn-Rhydd/release/10663963|title=Byw'n Rhydd|website=Discogs|access-date=15 July 2020}}

Boote occasionally taught at Ysgol Gyfun Llanhari, and at {{convert|6|ft|4|in|m|spell=in}} tall was a keen amateur rugby player.

On October 17, 1974, Boote was dressed up in a space monster costume for a children's scifi programme named Maldwyn Aldwyn{{cite news |title=Actor 'critically ill' after costume goes up in flames |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-mirror-actor-critically-ill/159066356/ |work=Sunday Mirror|location=London, London, England|p=4|via=Newspapers.com |date=13 October 1974}} and waiting to go on at BBC Studios.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cymru/radiocymru/safle/cofio/pages/1974_ffeithiau.shtml|title=BBC Cymru'r Byd - Radio Cymru - Ffeithiau 1974|work=www.bbc.co.uk|access-date=19 January 2019|language=Welsh|quote=Derek Boote, y cerddor a'r adlonwr, ar ôl i'w ddillad fynd ar dân yn stiwdio'r BBC. [Derek Boote, musician and entertainer, after his clothes went on fire in the BBC studio.]|trans-title=BBC Cymru'r Byd - Radio Cymru - Facts in 1974}} Screams were heard from his dressing room and he was found engulfed in flames. He was badly burned and rushed to hospital in critical condition.{{cite book|last=Steiger|first=Brad|author-link=Brad Steiger|title=Beyond Belief|publisher=Scholastic|year=1991|page=116|chapter=The Terror of Spontaneous Human Combustion|isbn=059044252X}}{{cite news |title=Derek Boote still critical |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed-derek-boote/159065538/ |work=Daily Post (Merseyside ed.)|location=Liverpool, Merseyside, England|p=3|via=Newspapers.com |date=17 October 1974}}

The explanation given by Gareth Price in his work Broadcasters of BBC Wales was that he had been smoking a cigarette during a break and the ash from his cigarette had dropped on his costume, which had ignited after a short time. He later died from his injuries in Chepstow hospital.{{cite book|author=Gareth Price|title=Broadcasters of BBC Wales|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R0xxDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT202|date=12 January 2018|publisher=Y Lolfa|isbn=978-1-78461-535-2|page=202}}{{cite book|author=John Davies|title=Broadcasting and the BBC in Wales|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R7kVAQAAMAAJ|year=1994|publisher=University of Wales Press|isbn=978-0-7083-1273-5|page=360}} The costume was supposed to have been fireproof, but the protection was ineffective.{{cite news |title=Costume fire actor was given a warning |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/weekly-argus-costume-fire-actor-was-give/159066111/ |work=Weekly Argus|location=Newport, Gwent, Wales|p=4|via=Newspapers.com |date=19 December 1974}}