Bob Holness, former Blockbusters host, dies aged 83

busybeeburns · 06-01-2012, 08:56 PM

Bob Holness, former Blockbusters host, dies aged 83

Bob Holness, former host of daytime quiz show Blockbusters, has died at 83. In a statement, his family said he had "died peacefully in his sleep" early on Friday morning. Holness, who had suffered a series of strokes, had been in a nursing home. He is survived by his wife Mary, three children and seven grandchildren.

Holness "was also an accomplished theatre actor and his radio broadcasting career spanned over six decades", the family statement added. South African-born Holness joined the BBC in the 1960s and hosted Late Night Extra on Radio 1 and Radio 2, alongside presenters including Terry Wogan. The show continued to air on Radio 2's AM frequency only until 1975, before Holness moved to commercial station LBC, co-hosting the morning show with Douglas Cameron.

Early in his broadcasting career, he also became the second actor to portray James Bond, starring in a radio adaptation of Moonraker in 1956. In 2008, he told the BBC that the opportunity "just came up through a hole in the floor". "I was doing lots of radio plays at the time but I wanted to do something a bit different, so when James Bond came up I ventured in and said yes."

He said he had never heard of the character but that it "became an amazing part to play and the response from listeners was terrific".

However he remains best known for hosting ITV gameshow Blockbusters, from 1983 to 1993, complete with its hexagonal board, gold runs and the classic double entendre contestant request: "Can I have a P please, Bob?"

"People say 'Don't you ever get fed up with it?' but I didn't," he once said. "I loved everything to do with the show so it always got a very positive reception from me, however many times I heard it."

He continued to appear on the airwaves, hosting shows including a Tuesday night broadcast on Radio 2, presenting the BBC Radio Orchestra's selection of the best in popular music. He also presented the BBC World Service request show Anything Goes - a show purported to be a favourite of Aung San Suu Kyi while under house arrest - bringing him a new legion of international fans. From 1996 until 2002, he hosted the BBC's long-running panel game Call My Bluff on television.

But his health began to deteriorate in the 1990s after he suffered a mini-stroke; a more severe attack in 2002 led to temporary paralysis. Those who have paid tribute to Holness include Radio 2 controller Bob Shennan who said he was "a talented and much-loved presenter who will be sadly missed".

BBC Radio 4 presenter Martha Kearney, meanwhile, said she had worked with him on the LBC AM Bob and Doug show and described him as a "real gent".

Black Rose · 06-01-2012, 09:29 PM

R.I.P.

Did you know he played Sax on Baker Street?

Spoiler

__________________

You could take a picture of something you see
In the future where will I be?
You could climb a ladder up to the sun
Or write a song nobody had sung
Or do something that's never been done

tifosi · 08-01-2012, 01:23 AM

I'll have a P Bob...

Bye Bye Bob. Gone to the great gold run in the sky.

chuck kottke · 08-01-2012, 01:37 AM

He had an interesting life (from theater actor to game show host, imagine that!), and did a great deal of good it sounds cheering people up! Good men will always be missed by many for the joy they bring to the audiences who tuned in.
just curious, was he more like Trebek, Dawson, or Barker?

bart · 08-01-2012, 09:20 AM

bye bob... u were great !! how at times everyone wanted just one more question out of you...

Reilly · 08-01-2012, 02:30 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by chuck kottke;5165101
He had an interesting life (from theater actor to game show host, imagine that!)

Considering some of the ideas you have Chuck, that's not entirely crazy to imagine.

06-01-2012, 08:56 PM	#1
busybeeburns mr coldplaying himself Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 46,341 My Mood: Location: test Gender: Country: Seen CP: 20 times Fav. CP album: X&Y Fav. CP song: GPASUYF Fav. CP member: Chat posts: 4 Thanks given: 1,552 Thanked 936 Times in 421 Posts	Bob Holness, former Blockbusters host, dies aged 83 Bob Holness, former Blockbusters host, dies aged 83 Bob Holness, former host of daytime quiz show Blockbusters, has died at 83. In a statement, his family said he had "died peacefully in his sleep" early on Friday morning. Holness, who had suffered a series of strokes, had been in a nursing home. He is survived by his wife Mary, three children and seven grandchildren. Holness "was also an accomplished theatre actor and his radio broadcasting career spanned over six decades", the family statement added. South African-born Holness joined the BBC in the 1960s and hosted Late Night Extra on Radio 1 and Radio 2, alongside presenters including Terry Wogan. The show continued to air on Radio 2's AM frequency only until 1975, before Holness moved to commercial station LBC, co-hosting the morning show with Douglas Cameron. Early in his broadcasting career, he also became the second actor to portray James Bond, starring in a radio adaptation of Moonraker in 1956. In 2008, he told the BBC that the opportunity "just came up through a hole in the floor". "I was doing lots of radio plays at the time but I wanted to do something a bit different, so when James Bond came up I ventured in and said yes." He said he had never heard of the character but that it "became an amazing part to play and the response from listeners was terrific". However he remains best known for hosting ITV gameshow Blockbusters, from 1983 to 1993, complete with its hexagonal board, gold runs and the classic double entendre contestant request: "Can I have a P please, Bob?" "People say 'Don't you ever get fed up with it?' but I didn't," he once said. "I loved everything to do with the show so it always got a very positive reception from me, however many times I heard it." He continued to appear on the airwaves, hosting shows including a Tuesday night broadcast on Radio 2, presenting the BBC Radio Orchestra's selection of the best in popular music. He also presented the BBC World Service request show Anything Goes - a show purported to be a favourite of Aung San Suu Kyi while under house arrest - bringing him a new legion of international fans. From 1996 until 2002, he hosted the BBC's long-running panel game Call My Bluff on television. But his health began to deteriorate in the 1990s after he suffered a mini-stroke; a more severe attack in 2002 led to temporary paralysis. Those who have paid tribute to Holness include Radio 2 controller Bob Shennan who said he was "a talented and much-loved presenter who will be sadly missed". BBC Radio 4 presenter Martha Kearney, meanwhile, said she had worked with him on the LBC AM Bob and Doug show and described him as a "real gent". __________________ The early bird catches the worm. The second mouse gets the cheese!

06-01-2012, 09:29 PM	#2
Black Rose Bear with me Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 47,542 My Mood: Location: A strangeland under the iron sea where hopes & fears can make the night train be in perfect symmetry Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 6 Thanked 107 Times in 85 Posts	R.I.P. Did you know he played Sax on Baker Street? Spoiler not really __________________ You could take a picture of something you see In the future where will I be? You could climb a ladder up to the sun Or write a song nobody had sung Or do something that's never been done

08-01-2012, 09:20 AM	#5
bart Something truly special Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 19,150 My Mood: Location: Barcelona Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 15 Thanked 12 Times in 6 Posts	bye bob... u were great !! how at times everyone wanted just one more question out of you... __________________ Work in progress........... "Small club, with a small mentality" !! Mancini will always have my utmost respect and admiration...... Thank you Mancini. Thank you for everything. The King is dead. Long live the King The Daddy of the pub thread !!!

08-01-2012, 02:30 PM	#6
Reilly District 9er Badazz!11111 Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 36,007 Chat posts: 63 Thanks given: 45 Thanked 337 Times in 193 Posts	Quote: Originally Posted by chuck kottke;5165101 He had an interesting life (from theater actor to game show host, imagine that!) Considering some of the ideas you have Chuck, that's not entirely crazy to imagine. __________________ This door... ...needs some WD-40. Quote: Originally Posted by Fix42YellowClocks I cannot argue my point of the seemingly conflicting idea of why I have the right to argue people shouldn't be allowed to tell Coldplay to stop expressing themselves without a fundamental argument to the freedoms we enjoy. Has anyone really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?

08-01-2012, 01:23 AM	#3
tifosi Technical Administrator Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,658 My Mood: Location: Lancashire Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 0 Thanked 8 Times in 8 Posts	I'll have a P Bob... Bye Bye Bob. Gone to the great gold run in the sky.

08-01-2012, 01:37 AM	#4
chuck kottke Gearwork for Clocks Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 8,425 My Mood: Location: Just north of Green Bay - near Lake Michigan's Western Shore Gender: Country: Chat posts: 0 Thanks given: 4 Thanked 21 Times in 19 Posts	He had an interesting life (from theater actor to game show host, imagine that!), and did a great deal of good it sounds cheering people up! Good men will always be missed by many for the joy they bring to the audiences who tuned in. just curious, was he more like Trebek, Dawson, or Barker?