Former Showaddywaddy star Dave Bartram has urged people to get vaccinated after his experience with Covid-19.

The ex-lead singer, 68, who retired from the band in 2011, made his appeal in a video posted on Twitter.

“During recent weeks, I’ve found myself afflicted with the Covid-19 virus, which I can assure you is an experience I would never wish to repeat,” he said in the video released by Leicester’s clinical commissioning group.

“We have to stamp out this virus. We have to beat this virus and the only way is by vaccination.

“I urge you that once you are notified that you are due a vaccination, to get out there and get vaccinated.

“If you are sceptical, think of others. We want to get back to normality. We want to cuddle people that we haven’t cuddled for months on end.

“We want to go to football matches, to rock concerts, to festivals, to the pub, to restaurants and the only way to do this, to achieve this, is by vaccination.”

The BBC quoted the singer as saying: “It bears no relation to flu whatsoever. It is the most brutal virus I have ever experienced.”