THE phenomenon of golfing widows and football widows is a well-documented one, but York seems be developing its own variation - star-impersonator widows.
Hot on the heels of Jane, the long-suffering wife of Elvis-impersonator Eddie Vee, comes the city's latest victim, Paula Wolf.
She says her husband, Dave, has never been the same since he started singing as Roy Orbison in pubs and clubs across the county.
She has stopped short of saying "It's Over", but is due to air her plight on television tomorrow on the BBC-1 daytime show Kilroy.
Dave and Paula will be appearing on a show devoted to wives telling how their husbands have developed obsessions.
Paula, from Poppleton, said: "He is a good singer and has been in various bands over the years. He used to sing a Roy Orbison record and his voice is identical to his.
"Then some bright spark told him that - out came the dark glasses and the wig and he's been Roy Orbison ever since.
"I do like some of the songs, but they do get on your nerves after a while."
Paula said she and Dave, who have been married for seven years and together for ten, were temporarily living apart but were still good friends and saw each other regularly.
"I do feel sorry for him because he is good at what he does," she said.
Dave said Paula was exaggerating and he said on average he would perform as Roy about once a fortnight, which he did not see as excessive.
He said: "The kids go round the house singing Roy Orbison songs.
"Rosie, our eight-year-old, prefers Roy Orbison to Britney Spears."
Dave does gigs on the club circuit and is planning a charity event this summer.
Updated: 11:30 Monday, May 07, 2001
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