Logan, his brother...and the belly dancer's baby.

Top Irish crooner Johnny Logan is in the middle of a bizarre baby riddle involving a Turkish belly dancer and his brother Michael.

Exotic dancer Burcin "Bambi" Orhon (pictured on our front page) claims that she had a passionate six-year affair with the married singer, and that he is the father of her eight-year- old daughter Ece.

But the Sunday Mirror can reveal that the name on the paternity forms is NOT Logan's, but that of his brother, Michael Joseph Sherrard.

Orhon, a former Playboy centrefold, met double Eurovision Song Contest winner Logan in Istanbul in 1982, and the couple embarked on an affair.

She says she became pregnant by Logan in 1987, and the baby was born the following July in a Manchester hospital. She split from Logan soon after the birth.

The strange mix-up began in 1989 when Orhon sent a heart- rending plea to her former lover asking him to acknowledge their baby daughter.

Orhon was shocked when the Sunday Mirror told her the name on the legal documents was not actually Logan's real name, Sean Patrick Michael Sherrard, but that of his elder brother Michael, his musical director.

She said: "I can't understand why this has happened. It is such a shock. All I wanted was my daughter to be recognised by her real father."

Orhon is completely baffled as to why Logan's brother's name is on the forms. She claims she only had a sexual relationship with Johnny Logan.

Orhon was issued with a British birth certificate for her daughter but it had no father's name on it.

However, she returned to her home country and because of strict Turkish law needed a father's name on the birth certificate.

"I contacted Johnny and he said he would speak to his solicitor," she said.

"The only thing was he told me that he couldn't put three names on the document, so he left his first name, Sean, off.

"I didn't actually witness it because it was signed in London."

In fact, the singer's real middle names are Patrick Michael. Michael Joseph Sherrard, known as Mike to friends, is his brother.

Michael had split from his first wife Valerie and was living in Manchester when the forms were signed at the solicitor's office in North London.

The form stated: "I am the lawful father of Ece Orhon (female) who was born on 21 July 1988," and was signed and had Michael's passport number at the top.

When he was contacted by the Sunday Mirror, Michael slammed the phone down without commenting.

Logan, who is currently filming for the BBC's Songs of Praise, first met Orhon while working in Istanbul - far away from his wife, Ailis and their children. Orhon can still remember the intense attraction she first felt for the man who won her heart.

She said: "Johnny was eight years older than me when we first met. It was love at first sight.

"I didn't know he had a family until our relationship developed, and by that time I couldn't end it because we were in love."

Logan stayed in Turkey for three months before returning to Britain.

But, according to Orhon, now 35, he didn't stop loving his Turkish mistress.

"Everything was perfect for us during those early few months.

"When he left we still felt very strongly for each other," she said.

"We were both upset to be apart, but we got used to it. We spoke on the phone regularly. I would fly to London to be with him and he would come over to be with me. Of course his wife knew about me, but I never knew the real story about their life together.

"He told me that he was not living with her any more. But I am not sure whether they ever split up."

The young couple's first flush of love lasted until Orhon found she was pregnant.

She said: "It was an accident, but Johnny never believed me. He thought that I was trying to trick him into staying with me. But that was never the case.

"After that things changed between us. He didn't trust me any more because he thought I was after his money. That was the break between us.

"But I never wanted the money. I didn't even know how much he was worth. I just loved him."

Although not present during the birth, Logan - by now an internationally-acclaimed singer with two Eurovision Song Contest wins under his belt - rented a house for his mistress in Manchester.

She stayed there for three months and even gave birth to Ece in North Manchester General Hospital.

She said: "He phoned me after the baby was born, and he seemed very happy." "

Orhon stayed on in England for another month, then returned to Turkey to resume performing her special mix of ballet and belly dancing.

"I was determined to lose weight to support my baby," she said. "I didn't really have any savings so I had to start working again.

"There was no way I was going to ask Johnny for money because he had his own family to look after." In the years that followed, the couple hardly saw one another and only spoke occasionally on the phone.

"In all, Johnny gave me pounds 3,000," said Orhon. "The lawyers told me that I had a right to go to court but I didn't. If an adult doesn't want a child you can't push it."

Last year Orhon married a Turkish actor, giving Ece a father figure for the first time.

Orhon said: "She is very happy with my husband. She knows all about her real father, but doesn't talk about him."

She added: "I'm not asking for money. I just want him to keep in contact with his daughter.

When the Sunday Mirror contacted John Salter, Johnny Logan's manager, he said:" "It is an old story,"" and wouldn't comment further.

Article Details

Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback
Author:	Veash, Nicole
Publication:	Sunday Mirror (London, England)
Date:	May 18, 1997
Words:	985
Previous Article:	GHOSTBUSTER'S pounds 50,000 TO STOP HOTEL SPOOK GROPING WOMEN IN BED.
Next Article:	Heavens! Win tickets to see Dermot Morgan.