Cherie’s sister ‘part of my life’, says Booth

Booth, 71, was speaking after revelations that he had fathered an eighth daughter and a seventh sister for the Prime Minister’s wife, Cherie Blair.

Booth confirmed that he was now in touch with Lucy Thomas, whose mother, radio sales girl Ann Gannon, had a brief relationship with the comedy actor in 1967.

Speaking from his home in Glossop, Derbyshire, Booth said: "All I want to say is that I am delighted Lucy is in my life."

Blair had believed she was one of seven daughters of the actor. But she recently received correspondence telling her she had a half-sister in Australia.

Yesterday, Downing Street confirmed she had been in touch with 35-year-old Thomas, adding that she was "delighted" to have discovered she had another half-sister. Blair had spoken to her sister on the phone and hoped to meet her later this year.

Thomas confirmed last night that Blair was her sister. "We have spoken and I’d like to think that in the conversations we’ve made some kind of connection," she said. "I’m very happy that I’ll be meeting her soon."

Thomas, who is married with a six-year-old son, has always known that she was Blair’s half-sister, but until now has made no effort to contact her.

She said she first spoke to her by phone when she and the Prime Minister visited Australia for a meeting of the Commonwealth heads of government in Coolum, Queensland, at the beginning of March.

She said: "We wanted to meet then but I couldn’t get up to Coolum and Cherie couldn’t make it down to Sydney. So instead we have agreed to meet up later this year."

Thomas would not reveal the details of how Blair, the eldest of eight sisters at 48, was informed of her sister’s existence.

However, it is believed that four-times-married Booth is working on his autobiography, and it is thought he will make a reference to his eighth daughter. He knew of her existence but chose not to reveal it to Cherie and her other sisters Lyndsey, 45, Jenia, 39, Bronwen, 37, Lauren, 34, Emma, 33, and Joanna, 12.