Peter Finch snubbed by Shirley Bassey who silenced romance questions: ‘Not walled in!’ | Films | Entertainment

Today, Finch is among a brilliant cast including John Gregson and Bernard Lee, who star in The Battle of the River Plate, which airs from 2:05pm on BBC Two. The World War 2 drama is set ten days before the start of the war, when the Graf Spee, a crack pocket battleship from Germany, is awaiting instructions on whether to begin hostilities in the South Atlantic. The vessel’s brief is to attack any British cargo vessels, but when the plot becomes clear the Navy is ordered to strike down the craft.

As well as three BAFTA Award nominations, The Battle of the River Plate was among the most popular films in Britain throughout the year of its release in 1957.

The film would help catapult Finch to global stardom, and the English-born actor would go on to claim a posthumous Academy Award in 1976 for Best Actor for his role in Network.

While Finch’s exploits on the screen are well documented, his private life was also often subject to the spotlight, including the various relationships he had with other stars.

Married three times, among the other relationships he reportedly had was with Dame Shirley Bassey, the Welsh singer known for her three James Bond title tracks and list of other incredible songs.

Chatter regarding their supposed relationship grew intense, and Bassey herself was forced to address the claims, according to a throwback edition of Jet magazine.

Published in 1964, Bassey reportedly tells the public she was not “walled in” to one relationship.

Under an article headed “No wedding for Shirley Bassey, Peter Finch”, the singer said: “It’s like I can’t sing to one man. I sing to everybody.

“I don’t want to be walled in. I am a terribly selfish person, and until I overcome that selfishness I’d make a lousy partner for anyone.

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Before his death, Finch told the Los Angeles Times: “We all say we’re going to quit occasionally. I’d like to have been more adventurous in my career. But it’s a fascinating and not ignoble profession.

“No one lives more lives than the actor. Movie making is like geometry and I hated maths. But this kind of jigsaw I relish.

“When I played Lord Nelson I worked the poop deck in his uniform. I got extraordinary shivers.

“Sometimes I felt like I was staring at my own coffin. I touched that character. There lies the madness. You can’t fake it.”

Finch was also married to Romanian-born French ballerina Tamara Tchinarova, and South African-born actress Yolande Turner.

As well as his Oscar win, Finch was nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards in 1971 for his performance in Sunday Bloody Sunday, and was also awarded a Golden Globe and BAFTA following his death.

The Battle of the River Plate airs from 2:05pm on BBC Two today.