[Omah]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-16443263

Bob Holness, former host of daytime quiz show Blockbusters, has died at 83.

In a statement, his family said he had "died peacefully in his sleep" early on Friday morning.

Holness, who had suffered a series of strokes, had been in a nursing home. He is survived by his wife Mary, three children and seven grandchildren.

Holness "was also an accomplished theatre actor and his radio broadcasting career spanned over six decades", the family statement added.

South African-born Holness joined the BBC in the 1960s and hosted Late Night Extra on Radio 1 and Radio 2, alongside presenters including Terry Wogan.

The show continued to air on Radio 2's AM frequency only until 1975, before Holness moved to commercial station LBC, co-hosting the morning show with Douglas Cameron.

'Positive reception'

Early in his broadcasting career, he also became the second actor to portray James Bond, starring in a radio adaptation of Moonraker in 1956.

In 2008, he told the BBC that the opportunity "just came up through a hole in the floor".

However he remains best known for hosting ITV gameshow Blockbusters, from 1983 to 1993, complete with its hexagonal board, gold runs and the classic double entendre contestant request: "Can I have a P please, Bob?"

"People say 'Don't you ever get fed up with it?' but I didn't," he once said.

The legendary Bob .....

[Ammi]

Rip

[Stu]

Legend, RIP .

[Shaun]

R.I.P.

I liked that show. Not sure if I'd want it brought back with someone like Vernon Kay or Shane Richie though.

[arista]

He will be missed

[Suze]

If he had suffered strokes, not lost his mind, why was he in a nursing home rather than have home care around his family? I expect he would rather have been with his family poor bloke RIP Bob

[Marc]

R.i.p

[bbfan1991]

Rip.

[Josy]

R.I.P Bob

[arista]

there is a thread already

[Marc]

I've merged this before.

[Z]

R.i.p.

[Suze]

Some former Blocbusters contestants, comments on the BBC news site.

Bob Holness was genuinely interested in the teens on Blockbusters. I was a contestant, with a friend, on both Blockbusters and Champion Blockbusters in the 80s.

We did four gold runs and won £150 worth of fashion vouchers and a television that only very recently finally stopped working.

The gold run we didn't win was for a holiday to Rome.

He made the effort to chat to the contestants both on set and in the hospitality areas, making sure we were all having a good time as well as making good telly.

Rather than disappear off to his dressing room during breaks in filming he'd chat to the contestants and he'd be the one teaching everyone the hand jive.

About five years after I appeared I bumped into him and he remembered not only my name but that I was from Kent and what job I had done at the time of Champions. Impressive!

I suspect it had something to do with the Kent connection living in Kent as he did at the time!

My thoughts are with his family. Bob Holness was a real gentleman.

I was on Blockbusters in 1986. I was up against Oliver who was already well into his stride when we came on. We didn't stand a chance.

We were on for about 15 to 20 minutes, most of it on one show and then a few minutes on the second programme.

They used to film four programmes a day and we were kept in a holding area so there was a steady stream of contestants.

"I got about 10 questions wrong in a row, including: Bob: "What B were the King's suede shoes?", Dermot: "Brown"”

End Quote

Bob used to come and mingle with you in the canteen.

I was 18 at the time and it was filmed in my last year at school.

Unfortunately for me it was screened the first week I started university.

I was a bit of a student icon for a week - it was half embarrassing but also half exciting because I'd been on Blockbusters!

I got about 10 questions wrong in a row, including

Bob: "What B were the King's suede shoes?"

Dermot: "Brown"

Bob: "What L is an acute virus fever of tropical Africa, especially Nigeria?"

Dermot: "Laryngitis?"

People thought that I was deliberately answering the questions incorrectly - but I wasn't!

I was on Blockbusters when I was 17 and then Champion Blockbusters at 22.

I was one of a pair with a friend from school. He was the brainy one and we did quite well, thanks to his solid general knowledge.

We did four gold runs and won computers for our school and some windsurfing lessons. In the Champion Blockbuster everything went to charity.

I didn't get to ask for a P but I did get to say 'I'd like U please, Bob.'

It was a fantastic experience and Bob always took time to mingle with the contestants between shows in what was a genuine knockout competition.

He was very easygoing and really professional.

Looking back at the video I have still makes me chuckle and you could tell we were all there to have fun and not take it too seriously.

Bob was a great host and didn't seem to mind the cheeky comments we all made.

He'll be missed.

[Visage]

I'll have an R.I.P please Bob.

[Marc]

^ Aww