Richard Whiteley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Whiteley
OBE DL
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Whiteley in the early 2000s
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| Born |
John Richard Whiteley
28 December 1943 Bradford, England
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| Died | 26 June 2005 (aged 61) Leeds, England
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| Alma mater | Christ's College, Cambridge |
| Occupation | Journalist, Game show host |
| Years active | 1968–2005 |
| Known for | Countdown (1982–2005; his death) |
| Spouse(s) |
Candy Watson
(m. 1973; div. 1975) |
| Partner(s) |
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| Children | 1 |
John Richard Whiteley (born December 28, 1943 – died June 26, 2005) was a famous English TV presenter and journalist. He was best known for hosting the game show Countdown for 23 years.
Countdown was the very first show broadcast on Channel 4 when it launched on November 2, 1982. Richard Whiteley was the first person viewers saw on the new channel! Even though he was very smart, he often acted a bit silly and forgetful. People remembered him for his cheerful and friendly way, his love for jokes (puns), and his bright, sometimes wild, suits and ties.
He spent more time on British TV than almost anyone else! This was thanks to over 20 years of Countdown and his work on the news show Calendar.
Contents
Early Life and School
Richard Whiteley was born on December 28, 1943, in Bradford, England. He grew up in a town called Baildon. His family owned a textile factory, but it closed down in the 1960s.
When he was 13, Richard won a special scholarship to attend Giggleswick School in Yorkshire. After school, he went to Christ's College, Cambridge in 1962 to study English. He later became a governor at his old school.
Career Highlights
Starting in TV
After finishing university in 1965, Richard trained at ITN for three years. In 1968, he joined the new TV company called Yorkshire Television.
In 1977, something funny happened to Richard on the show Calendar. A ferret bit his finger and held on for half a minute! The owner had to pull it off. This clip is often shown on TV blooper shows. Richard joked that when he died, the headlines would say, "Ferret man dies." He said the moment made many people laugh around the world.
Hosting Countdown
In 1982, Yorkshire Television started making Countdown. It was based on a French quiz show. Richard Whiteley was chosen to be the host. When Channel 4 launched, Countdown was its first show. The first episode had over 3.5 million viewers!
Richard became very well-known across the UK because of Countdown. He was nicknamed "Twice Nightly Whiteley" because he used to present both the Calendar news and Countdown on the same evening.
As the host of Countdown, Richard was famous for wearing very bright and colourful suits and ties. His co-presenter, Carol Vorderman, often made jokes about his outfits. Richard also loved to tell funny stories and puns, which sometimes made the audience groan! He was even given the honorary title of "Mayor of Wetwang" in 1998, and he found the village's name very amusing.
Countdown was not expected to last long, but it became a very popular show for Channel 4. At its best, almost five million people watched it in the afternoons. Even when Richard passed away, it still had over a million viewers regularly.
Richard Whiteley even appeared as himself, hosting Countdown, in the movie About a Boy. After he died, the winner of the Countdown series now receives the "Richard Whiteley Memorial Trophy" in his honour. Des Lynam took over as the host after Richard.
Other TV Work
Richard Whiteley also had his own chat show on the BBC called Richard Whiteley Unbriefed. On this show, he didn't know who his guests would be beforehand. He had to guess who they were before he could interview them!
He was one of the first people to report on the 1984 Brighton hotel bombing. This was because he was staying in the hotel when it happened. In 1997, he was the special guest on the TV show This Is Your Life.
In 2003, Richard appeared on the popular BBC car show Top Gear. He set the slowest time in the "Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car" challenge.
Illness and Passing
In May 2005, Richard Whiteley went into hospital with pneumonia. He started to get better, but doctors found problems with his heart. He had an emergency operation on June 24, but it was not successful. Two days later, on June 26, Richard Whiteley passed away at Leeds General Infirmary. He was buried in East Witton.
He had suffered from asthma since he was very young and also had diabetes. The Countdown episode that was supposed to be shown on June 27 was postponed to show respect. Carol Vorderman gave a touching tribute to him on June 28 when Countdown returned. She said, "The clock stopped too soon."
Memorials and Tributes
Organ Donation
Richard Whiteley was an organ donor. It was reported that his corneas (part of his eyes) were donated to help two people see.
Memorial Service
On November 10, 2005, many friends and fans gathered at York Minster for a special service to remember Richard Whiteley. Carol Vorderman was there and spoke about him. She said that if he were there, he would have greeted everyone personally.
Richard Whiteley Memorial Bursary
In 2007, Channel 4 created the Richard Whiteley Memorial Bursary. This was a nine-month work experience opportunity at Yorkshire Television for someone starting in TV.
Vision Aid Overseas
Richard's longtime partner, Kathryn Apanowicz, donated three pairs of his glasses to a charity called Vision Aid Overseas (VAO). A team from VAO took the glasses to Ethiopia. They found three people in Ethiopia whose eyes matched Richard's prescription, and they were able to use his glasses to see better. The BBC showed this story on their Inside Out programme in 2007.
Giggleswick School Theatre
In 2008, Richard's old school, Giggleswick School, announced plans to build a theatre in his honour. The school raised money to build the 288-seat theatre. It was completed in 2010 and is used for many public performances.
Honours and Personal Life
Richard Whiteley received several honours during his life. He was made the Mayor of Wetwang in 1998. In 2003, he became a Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire. He was also awarded the OBE in 2004 for his services to broadcasting.
TV Appearances
- Calendar (1968–1995)
- Countdown (1982–2005)
- The Richard Whiteley Show (1995–1996)
- Richard Whiteley Unbriefed (1999)
- Have I Got News for You (1999)
- Top Gear (2003)
- My Family (2003)
Images for kids
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Richard Whiteley in the early 2000s
