Despite consistently high ratings, he became disillusioned with his chat show Aspel & Company (1984). After his producers forced him to interview Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone despite the fact that they would only talk about Planet Hollywood, he decided he had had enough.
He served as a paratrooper in the British Army during his National Service
days.
He became President of the charity Ability UK in 1984.
He was duty continuity announcer on the night that Kenneth Horne died on-stage while presenting the Guild of Television Producers' and Directors' Awards at the Dorchester Hotel. When a recording of the programme was broadcast (as scheduled) later that evening, Aspel had to announce "Mr Horne was taken ill at this point and has since died" and then had to fill in for the rest of the programme.
He is a father of six children.
He married his second wife, Ann, and had twins, a boy and a girl, born 1964. He and Ann divorced in November 1971 on the grounds of desertion and separation for more than two years.
Son Patrick born November 1980 by Elizabeth Power.