UK musician Murray Head injured in car crash in south-west France

The incident occurred just hours after he had given an interview with local media about the death of Queen Elizabeth II

Murray Head speaking to French media in 2013

British actor and musician Murray Head has been injured in a car accident outside Pau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques).

The accident occurred yesterday (September 12) around 15:00 when a lorry and a car being driven by Mr Head collided near the town of Gan, France Bleu Béarn Bigorre reported.

Mr Head was taken to hospital in Pau conscious but with “relative urgency”. No further information has yet been published as to the condition of Mr Head.

The driver of the lorry was unharmed.

Mr Head, 76, has been living in the south-west of France for several years.

Earlier in the day on Monday he gave an interview to France Bleu Béarn Bigorre about the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

He spoke of being overwhelmed with emotions when hearing about it, saying he had tears in his eyes for his country and people.

He also spoke about his experience of meeting her in 2004, saying that he “did what he should not have done” and shook her hand.

Mr Head is best known as a musician for the 1975 album Say It Ain't So and the songs 'Say It Ain't So, Joe', 'One Night in Bangkok' and 'Superstar'.

As an actor, played a starring role in the 1971 Oscar-nominated film Sunday Bloody Sunday.

Though from the UK, Mr Head is arguably more renowned in his adopted home of France where his song 'Say It Ain't So, Joe' is particularly popular.

He told the BBC in a 2021 interview, "the thing about the French is, they are very, very faithful. When they like you, they stick with you," he said.

"In the UK, everyone is chased out by the next media sensation."

He also said in the interview that the French misunderstand the track 'Say It Ain't So, Joe'.

"I kept telling them it wasn't a love song - it's actually about politics and Richard Nixon,” he said.

“But people were so disappointed that I stopped disabusing them. Now, I think, who cares?"

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