Bamber Gascoigne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bamber Gascoigne
CBE FRSL
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Gascoigne in 2006
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| Born |
Arthur Bamber Gascoigne
24 January 1935 London, England
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| Died | 8 February 2022 (aged 87) Richmond, London, England
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| Education | Sunningdale School Eton College |
| Alma mater | Magdalene College, Cambridge Yale University |
| Occupation | Television presenter, historian, author |
| Known for | Original quizmaster of University Challenge |
| Spouse(s) |
Christina Ditchburn
(m. 1965) |
Bamber Gascoigne (born January 24, 1935 – died February 8, 2022) was a famous English TV presenter and writer. He was best known as the first host of the popular quiz show University Challenge, which started in 1962.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Bamber Gascoigne was born in London, England, on January 24, 1935. He was the older son of Derek Gascoigne and Mary O'Neill.
He went to Sunningdale School and then won scholarships to Eton College and Magdalene College, Cambridge. At Cambridge, he studied English literature. Bamber first wanted to be an actor, but he found playing the same role for too long boring. So, he decided to become a writer instead.
While at Cambridge, he wrote a college play that a producer named Michael Codron saw. Codron liked it so much that he turned it into a musical called Share My Lettuce in 1957. Famous actors like Maggie Smith and Kenneth Williams performed in it. After college, Bamber served in the Grenadier Guards for his National Service. He even guarded the Queen at Buckingham Palace for six months! Later, he became a theatre critic for newspapers like The Spectator and The Observer. He met his wife, Christina, at Cambridge, and they got married in 1965.
Hosting University Challenge
Bamber Gascoigne was the first host of the TV quiz show University Challenge. This show was based on an American series called College Bowl. He hosted the show for 25 years, from 1962 until its first run ended in 1987.
Besides presenting, Bamber also wrote all the questions for the first series! People thought he was a firm but polite host. He had many famous phrases that became catchphrases, like:
- "Your starter for ten, no conferring"
- "Fingers on buzzers"
- "I'll have to hurry you"
The show was only planned for 13 episodes at first. But it was so popular that Bamber ended up hosting 913 episodes! Many contestants from the show later became famous, including actor Stephen Fry and actress Miriam Margolyes. When University Challenge was brought back in 1994, Bamber chose not to host it again because he was busy with other projects.
Bamber Gascoigne was even parodied (made fun of in a funny way) in other shows. In 1984, actor Griff Rhys Jones played him in an episode of The Young Ones. Later, in 1998, Bamber hosted a funny version of the show called Universe Challenge, based on the sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf. He was also played by actor Mark Gatiss in the 2006 film Starter for 10.
Television and Books
Bamber Gascoigne wrote many books and presented other TV shows.
Murgatreud's Empire
In 1972, he wrote a funny novel called Murgatreud's Empire. It was about a businessman who finds an island of pygmies. He trades weapons with them for treasure. This story was first meant to be a play, but it was too hard to find enough actors to play forty pygmies!
The Christians
In 1977, Bamber wrote and presented The Christians. This was a 13-hour TV series about the history of Christianity. He also wrote a book with the same title, which included photos by his wife, Christina. The book was later updated and republished in 2003 as A Brief History of Christianity.
Quest for the Golden Hare
Bamber wrote Quest for the Golden Hare in 1983. This book was about a famous treasure hunt linked to Kit Williams' book Masquerade. In 1979, Bamber saw Kit Williams bury a special gold hare pendant (a piece of jewelry) in a jar "somewhere in Britain." His book tells the story of the search for this treasure and a scandal that happened when it was found.
Other TV Series
In 1987, Bamber presented Victorian Values, a series about Victorian history. It showed how Victorian society created many things that led to our modern welfare state. In 1988, he created and hosted an arts quiz show for BBC Two called Connoisseur. He also wrote the questions for this show.
Bamber was also the writer and presenter for The Great Moghuls (1990). This TV series explored the Mughal Empire in India. The series was based on a book he wrote in 1971 with the same name, which also featured his wife's photographs.
Other Projects
Bamber Gascoigne created an online history encyclopaedia called HistoryWorld. It focuses on British history. He had already published a printed version, but he saw the internet as a way to reach many more people. He also made TimeSearch, a website that lets you search through different timelines from various websites.
In 2014, Bamber inherited a large old house called West Horsley Place in Surrey. This house dates back to the 16th century. He sold some items to help restore the house. An opera house, called the Theatre in the Woods, was also built on the grounds. It is now home to the Grange Park Opera. A rare sketch by artist Frederic Leighton was found behind a bedroom door in the house! Since 2019, West Horsley Place has been used as the filming location for the BBC comedy series Ghosts.
Personal Life and Awards
Bamber Gascoigne was married to Christina Ditchburn for 57 years. They met at Cambridge and lived in Richmond, London. Christina is an artist who works with ceramics and silks. They did not have any children.
In 2018, Bamber was given the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his contributions to the Arts. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. He served as a trustee for important places like the National Gallery and the Tate Gallery. He was also on the council of the National Trust and the board of directors for the Royal Opera House.
Bamber Gascoigne passed away in Richmond on February 8, 2022, at the age of 87, after a short illness. Many people shared their sadness and respect for him. Stephen Fry said he was "such an elegant, intelligent man." Victoria Coren Mitchell, host of another quiz show, said that no quiz host ever seemed more capable of answering all the questions themselves.
