SIR DAVID FROST,BROADCASTER AND WRITER DIES AT 74

David Frost

Veteran broadcaster Sir David Frost has died at the age of 74 after a suspected heart attack while on board a cruise ship.A family statement said he had been giving a speech aboard the Queen Elizabeth on Saturday night.

Sir David's career spanned journalism, comedy writing and daytime television presenting, including The Frost Report.Internationally, he will be remembered for his revealing interviews with former US President Richard Nixon, John Lennon, Paul McCartney,George Harrison,Ringo Starr and others.

A statement said: "His family are devastated and ask for privacy at this difficult time. A family funeral will be held in the near future and details of a memorial service will be announced in due course." 

 

John & Yoko: Discussing Art on David Frost’s show 1968

The BBC's Barney Jones, who edited his Breakfast with Frost programme on the BBC for more than 10 years, said: "David loved broadcasting, did it brilliantly for more than 50 years and was eagerly looking forward to a host of projects - including interviewing the prime minister next week - before his sudden and tragic death. We will all miss him enormously."

Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Sir David was an extraordinary man, with charm, wit, talent, intelligence and warmth in equal measure.

Born in Kent, Sir David studied at Cambridge University where he became secretary of the Footlights club, and met future comedy greats such as Peter Cook, Graham Chapman and John Bird.

After university he went to work at ITV before he was asked to front the BBC programme That Was The Week That Was, which ran between 1962 and 1963.

Casting a satirical eye over the week's news, the show boasted scriptwriters including John Cleese, John Betjeman and Dennis Potter.

David Frost, George and John on The Frost Programme, 1967

 

David Frost interviewed Richard Nixon in a series of meetings

The Frost Report brought together John Cleese, Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett in a sketch show which would influence many comedy writers including the Monty Python crew.

Sir David's often-mimicked catchphrase "hello, good evening and welcome" was by now in full use.

One of The Frost Report's most enduring pieces was the "class sketch", featuring Cleese, Barker and Corbett.The Frost Programme for ITV followed, which saw Sir David move away from comedy into in-depth interviews with political figures, royalty and celebrities.

It was on this programme that he had a terse interview with then prime minister Margaret Thatcher over the sinking of the Argentine cruiser Belgrano during the Falklands conflict.

At the same time, Sir David began work on The David Frost Show in the US.

 

He later conducted a series of interviews with Mr Nixon, who had resigned the presidency two years earlier, in which the former president came close to apologising to the public for his role in the Watergate scandal.Their exchanges were eventually made into a film - based on a play - which saw Michael Sheen portray Sir David Frost to Frank Langella's Nixon. Sir David himself appeared at the premiere of the film in 2008.

In the 1990s, Sir David presented Through the Keyhole, which he also produced, alongside Loyd Grossman.The show saw Grossman take a tour round the home of a celebrity while a panel of guests tried to guess "who lives in a house like this".

In 1993, the year he was knighted, he began presenting Breakfast with Frost - which had begun life on ITV - a Sunday show on BBC in which he interviewed newsworthy figures.

 

David and his wife, Lady Carina, had three sons

 

He worked closely with a number of charities over the years, including Alzheimer's Research Trust, the Motor Neurone Disease Association and health charity Wellbeing of Women.

The latter's chairman, Sir Victor Blank, said: "It's a sad day and David's tremendous contribution over the last half century to television will be honoured.

"David was also a marvellous husband, father and friend, but not often recognised is the time, generosity and support he gave to so many charities, not least the 25 years he has spent helping Wellbeing of Women."