Richard Whiteley Bio/Wiki, Net Worth, Married 2018
John Richard Whiteley, OBE, DL (28 December 1943 – 26 June 2005) was an English broadcaster and journalist, best known for his twenty-three years as host of the game show Countdown. Countdown was the launch programme for Channel 4 at 4:45 pm on 2 November 1982, and Whiteley was the first person to be seen on the channel (not counting a programme montage). Despite his intelligence, Whiteley enjoyed projecting the image of an absent-minded eccentric. His trademarks were his jolly, avuncular manner, his fondness for excruciatingly bad puns, and his bold, sometimes garish wardrobe.Thanks to over twenty years' worth of nightly instalments of Countdown as well as his work on the Yorkshire magazine programme Calendar and various other television projects, at the time of his death Whiteley was believed to have clocked more hours on British television screens—and more than 10,000 appearances—than anyone else alive, apart from Carole Hersee, the young girl who appeared on the BBC's iconic Test Card F.
There's nine in the frame; let's get on with the game!
2
Our guests tonight are masters of satire, which is why I've put a cushion on my chair to make sure I'm "satire" than the rest of 'em.
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Did I see a group called "The Happy Mondays" on a program called "All our Yesterdays"?
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The best bits are at the front.
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So, nine in a line, 30 seconds is the time!
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I'd like to be remembered for being the first face on Channel 4; that's what I'm really most proud of.
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I had an exercise bike for seven years, but I gave it away. I had only done eighteen miles.
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Fact
1
He once unwittingly caused a scandal, resulting in newspaper headlines such as "Whiteley in Swearing Shocker". On Countdown (1982) he often wore ties that viewers had made for him. On a Christmas special episode of the programme he wore one with the word 'COUNTDOWN' in large letters. After transmission it was noticed that (as related by Carol Vorderman): "The 'DOWN' had disappeared as he sat behind the desk, and his microphone had gone over the 'O'".
2
He reported on the imminent collapse of the Holbeck Hall hotel in Scarborough due to a landslip on 7 June 1993. As he was doing his piece to camera, the hotel collapsed into the sea behind him, right on cue.
3
A memorial service was held for him on 10 November 2005 at York Minster.
4
Son, James, born 1987, with fashion journalist and TV presenter Lesley Ebbetts.
5
Was the first face to appear on the UK's Channel 4 in 1982 (discounting a programme montage) when he presented Countdown for the first time. It was intended to run for 5 weeks but it just kept going. In fact, he presented every episode until May 2005 when he got pneumonia. He was taking longer to recover than expected so, for the first time ever, a selection of guest presenters were due to take his slot until he had fully recovered; however, he died shortly afterward, and the guest-presented series were never filmed.
6
Educated at Giggleswick School, North Yorkshire and Christ's College Cambridge.
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Best known for his roles presenting television game shows and local news programs, he was also an accomplished political interviewer, having interviewed every British prime minister from Harold Macmillan to Tony Blair.
8
Discounting a programme montage, he was the first person ever to appear on screen on Channel 4, presenting the inaugural edition of Countdown - and once said that he wanted to be remembered for this feat.
9
Hospitalized with a severe case of pneumonia in May 2005.
10
He was the first journalist to interview Margaret Thatcher after the Brighton Bombing in 1984.
11
When he used to present Calendar (1968), Yorkshire Television's local news programme, he was once required to interview a man who had brought his pet ferrets to the studio as part of the interview. When the interviewee passed him a ferret, saying "Go on, it's harmless, it won't bite you", the ferret did just that - it bit him hard and wouldn't let go! With the ferret hanging from his hand, Richard struggled manfully on with the interview despite being in excruciating pain. Being told "She's only playing with you, if she really meant business she'd bite right down to the bone" was scant comfort!
12
He was taught English at Giggleswick School by Russell Harty who later became famous as a chat-show host in the 1980s.
13
He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to Broadcasting.
$1.2 Million
