Bob Holness dies

It's fitting that Blockbusters is about to be revived I hope they dedicate an episode or the series to him. I also think it's fitting that Nick Hewer takes over on Countdown from Monday as I feel he's got a Bob Holness kind of quality about him.



http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/quiz-host-bobholness-dies-6286014.html

I think it's easy to forget that he was old when he presented Blockbusters, and just how long ago Blockbusters was on TV.

Had he been seen on TV since that appearance on Saturday Night Takeaway / Gameshow Marathon (whichever one it was)?

After block, he did raise the roof and call my bluff. He was the James bond.

He was the 2nd James Bond, playing him on South African radio. Call My Bluff was also excellently hosted by him.

But of course, he will always be "Bob Holness from Blockbusters." Without him, as we've seen twice since, the programme just wouldn't have been the same. I'm genuinely saddened by his passing, although it is comforting to know he is no longer suffering whaty seemed to be quite protracted ill health. TV history, the gameshow and millions of teenagers will be forever grateful to him.

This is really sad What's made it worse for me is that I've just started watching Blockbusters with my family as a habit as we get home on Challenge, as there really isn't anything worth watching at that time for us. I know the repeats will continue, but to us it's almost as if he has died while the programme is still going.

Although when I saw him on Gameshow Marathon a few years back, he did look quite ill then.

Ah, so many teens now grown, deprived of asking for a P please Bob forever.

That was something something I forgot to mention as well, he'll have been introduced to some people for the first time thanks to repeats on Challenge for the last year or so.

How remiss of me also to not mention his sterling work for BBC Radios 1 and 2 (he was one of the original R1 jocks back in 67 and was on the Light Programme before that) and also for LBC as well. The man did so much in his life, it was well led indeed.

He appeared on LBC in 2003 to mark the station's 30th anniversary - here's a clip from the evening news programme that day:

http://www.londonbroadcasting.org.uk/bobdoug_nightlynews.mp3

Indeed. It was unmissable early evening viewing.

The LBC morning show with Bob, and Douglas Cameron was superb listening in the 70s and 80s,.
Douglas Cameron was heard nationwide on the hour, as of course LBC and IRN were to all intents and purposes one and the same in those days. ILR's golden age.

Very sad news, what a legend. R.I.P Bob