IF you ever wondered what happened to York Elvis impersonator Eddie Vee then log into Facebook today at 3pm.

The self-styled 'Yorkshire Elvis' will be staging a special 90-minute gig to commemorate what would have been the king of rock 'n' roll's 86th birthday.

Eddie, now 60, who lives off Tadcaster Road with his wife Jane, has made a career out of impersonating Elvis.

It has brought him more than 15 minutes of fame - he appeared on numerous TV shows in the late 90s and early 2000s and was the star of a Channel 5 documentary, Family Confidential: Elvis As A House-husband.

York Press:

Eddie Vee on the Vanessa Feltz show in 1999 with his wife Jane (second right) his cousin Mandy

"More than six million people watched that - more than watched Love Island," said Eddie, when The Press caught up with him.

"I have featured in every daily paper - even the Financial Times," he added.

But lockdown has struck hard for the entertainer who hasn't had a public gig since last March.

Instead, he has been live-streaming performances daily from his York home to thousands of fans on Facebook from across the world.

And today, at 3pm, he will be staging an extra special show to mark what would have been Elvis's 86th birthday.

Eddie says people can watch the show live by Googling "Eddie Vee and Facebook" at 3pm.

York Press:

Eddie performing on Facebook live

The singer, now a grandfather of two, explained the long-standing appeal of Elvis. "He was the most original; he was great at arranging, singing, performing, and had a love for an audience. Nobody did it better."

Eddie - who still has a full head of black hair complete with quiff and sideburns and wears either a 70s jumpsuit or Teddy Boy drapes for most of his performances - says up to15,000 viewers tune into his Facebook gigs every day, adding the audience has shot up during lockdown.

"I am being broadcast into care homes as well as bars in Spain," he says.

And his appeal? "I give a fresh version of Elvis. I say, if Elvis came from Yorkshire he would sound like me."

York Press:

Eddie presents a cheque to Cancer Research in 2004

Besides singing, Eddie has been a charity stalwart and says he has raised around £1m for good causes over three decades.

He has also been involved with politics and has stood at local elections and in the general election for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party - and is still a member.

He said: "I still do appearances for them, but it is on the back burner at the moment. But their membership is booming."

Being part of the Loonies, he said, gave him a "voice in politics" and a chance to be "satirical".

York Press:

Eddie Vee as a Monster Raving Loony Party candidate in 2001

He added: "At the hustings in York I would take the Mickey out of the other candidates. After one count, I got on the stage at York Barbican and sang: 'Now or Never'! after they all shouted: 'Eddie give us a song!'."

If you love sharing old memories and photos of York, click here to join our nostalgia group on Facebook, Why We Love York - Memories