OPRAH WINFREY gave dinner guest SIDNEY POITIER a thrill when she invited him to join her for a sumptuous meal at the acting legend's favourite Los Angeles restaurant Spago's. Winfrey wanted to celebrate her hero and mentor as he turned 80 and spent weeks investigating Poitier's dining likes and dislikes, and then invited six fans to join her for dinner on 28 February (07).

Winfrey asked Spago's chef and Poitier's pal WOLFGANG PUCK to serve up the actor's favourite dish, chicken with black truffles, and ordered a sumptuous red velvet cake as a treat. The GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER special was filmed for the OPRAH show. The televised dining experience was shown yesterday (28MAR07). The six fans invited to dine with Winfrey and Poitier revealed how the respected Oscar-winning actor's lessons in life in his two memoirs helped them overcome hardships in their own lives.

After the guests took turns in applauding the 80-year-old, and the actor recalled moments from his amazing life, Winfrey served up a special surprise that brought the star to tears - a taped tribute from his six daughters and grandchildren. Poitier teared up when his daughter SHERRI said, "I used to think, 'My God, he's God! He knows everything!'" The stunned actor said, "Isn't that something."

Copyright 2007 WENN