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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Elaine Blackburne

University Challenge host Bamber Gascoigne dies following short illness

The man who became a household name with a series of popular catchphrases has died after a short illness.

Bamber Gascoigne hosted University Challenge for 25 years where his comments such as "Your starter for 10", "fingers on buzzers” and "I'll have to hurry you" soon became a regular feature of everyday conversations.

He died at his home in Richmond, London following a short illness, reports The Mirror.

He was married to his wife Christina, a potter, for 55 years.

The well-loved TV presenter was best known for his quizmaster role.

The series first aired from 1962 and 1987 - and Bamber became the face of it.

Bamber Gascoigne (Daily Mirror)

Bamber, who had such dedication to the programme, would fact check all questions and rewrite them if poorly written or unclear.

And he helped make what could have become a niche show watched by only a minority into a popular programme watched by around three million people every week.

In 1984 he was famously parodied by Griff Rhys-Jones on the alternative comedy series The Young Ones , in an episode entitled 'Bambi'.

The announcement of his death came from the Grange Park Opera on behalf of his family.

In 2014 the TV star inherited 14th century Surrey estate West Horsley Place from his aunt, the Duchess of Roxburghe, where Grange Park Opera built an opera house in the woods.

A statement from the opera said: “TV presenter and author Bamber Gascoigne has today (8 February 2022) died at his home in Richmond after a short illness.

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