The Stage

Bob Holness dies aged 83

Published Friday 6 January 2012 at 14:46 by Michael Quinn

The actor and broadcaster Bob Holness has died at the age of 83.

Bob Holness

Best known in later life as the presenter of the long-running children’s quiz game Blockbusters, which ran for 11 years from 1983 on ITV, Holness enjoyed an earlier claim to fame as the first British actor to play James Bond, in a radio adaptation of Moonraker in 1956.

Born in South Africa, he joined the BBC in the 1960s and went on to host a number of programmes, including Late Night Extra. From 1971-82 he was the announcer on The Generation Game. After a decade broadcasting with commercial radio, during which he was twice voted Independent Radio Personality of the Year, he returned to the BBC in 1995 to present shows on Radio 2 and the World Service.

His television career began in 1961 as host of ITV quiz show Take a Letter. Later appearances included Yorkshire Television’s Raise the Roof and a BBC 2 revival of Call My Bluff.

Having survived a number of strokes in recent years, he died earlier today in his sleep.