alan45
13-08-2011, 03:41
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/54579000/jpg/_54579219_003837387-1.jpg Mr Robinson presented TV quiz show Ask The Family for 17 years
Robert Robinson, the veteran broadcaster and presenter, has died at the age of 83.
In a career spanning five decades, he presented a wealth of radio and television programmes for the BBC.
They included Ask the Family, Stop the Week and Call My Bluff. Mr Robinson also had a stint presenting Radio 4's Today programme.
He died in St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, after a long period of ill health.
His daughter, Susie Robinson, said: "He had a very long, productive and successful life and we'll all miss him terribly."
Robert Robinson was born in Liverpool and went on to study at Oxford University.
There he met Josee Richard, the actress to whom he was married for more than 40 years.
He began his career in magazines and newspapers, developing a dogged interview technique for which he would become famous on radio.
In 1974, his tenure at the Today programme was crowned when he was made Radio Personality of the Year.
But it was what he called his "humble calling" - hosting quiz shows - that most will remember him for.
He revelled in the role of quizmaster on such long-running game shows as Radio 4's Brain of Britain.
Mr Robinson only stood down as chairman of the show last year.
At his retirement the then-Radio 4 controller, Mark Damazer, said: "The brilliant Robert Robinson defined the art of the quiz show host.
"He presided over Brain Of Britain with sympathy for the contestants, wit and panache."
When his contestants got an answer wrong, the broadcaster famously uttered the catchphrase: "Ah, would that it were, would that it were
Robert Robinson, the veteran broadcaster and presenter, has died at the age of 83.
In a career spanning five decades, he presented a wealth of radio and television programmes for the BBC.
They included Ask the Family, Stop the Week and Call My Bluff. Mr Robinson also had a stint presenting Radio 4's Today programme.
He died in St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, after a long period of ill health.
His daughter, Susie Robinson, said: "He had a very long, productive and successful life and we'll all miss him terribly."
Robert Robinson was born in Liverpool and went on to study at Oxford University.
There he met Josee Richard, the actress to whom he was married for more than 40 years.
He began his career in magazines and newspapers, developing a dogged interview technique for which he would become famous on radio.
In 1974, his tenure at the Today programme was crowned when he was made Radio Personality of the Year.
But it was what he called his "humble calling" - hosting quiz shows - that most will remember him for.
He revelled in the role of quizmaster on such long-running game shows as Radio 4's Brain of Britain.
Mr Robinson only stood down as chairman of the show last year.
At his retirement the then-Radio 4 controller, Mark Damazer, said: "The brilliant Robert Robinson defined the art of the quiz show host.
"He presided over Brain Of Britain with sympathy for the contestants, wit and panache."
When his contestants got an answer wrong, the broadcaster famously uttered the catchphrase: "Ah, would that it were, would that it were