Ian Wallace (singer)

Ian Bryce Wallace, OBE (born 10 July 1919) is a British bass-baritone opera and concert singer, of Scottish extraction.

Born in London, Wallace trained as a lawyer, but never practiced. After World War II he was for many years a feature at Glyndebourne and was also closely associated with Scottish Opera. From the early 1960s to the 1980s, he performed a one man show, featuring operatic excerpts, ballads and comic songs. He was particularly noted for his performances of the music of Flanders and Swann, and "The Hippopotamus" became his signature tune.

To the general public, Wallace is best known for having been a panellist throughout the 27-year run of the radio panel game "My Music", not missing a single episode of more than 520 that were broadcast.

Although proudly Scottish by ancestry and upbringing, Wallace happened to be born in London, a fact that was the subject of several jokes and at least one trivia question on "My Music".

He has also acted occasionally on TV and in films, one example being "tom thumb", made in 1958.

He now lives in Highgate in North London with his wife Patricia. He has published two autobiographies: "Promise Me You'll Sing Mud" and "Nothing Quite Like It".