RW
Richard Whiteley
Actor
Died June 26, 2005 (61 years)
John Richard Whiteley OBE DL (28 December 1943 – 26 June 2005) was an English presenter, and journalist, best known for his twenty-three years as host of the game show Countdown. Countdown was the launch programme for Channel 4 at 4:45 pm on 2 November 1982, and Whiteley was the first person to be seen on the channel (not counting a programme montage). Despite his intelligence, Whiteley enjoyed projecting the image of an absent-minded eccentric. His trademarks were his jolly, avuncular manner, his fondness for puns, and his bold, sometimes garish wardrobe.
Thanks to over twenty years' worth of nightly instalments of Countdown as well as his work on the Yorkshire magazine programme Calendar and various other television projects, at the time of his death Whiteley was believed to have clocked more hours on British television screens—and more than 10,000 appearances—than anyone else alive, apart from Carole Hersee, the young girl who appeared on the BBC's Test Card F.
Thanks to over twenty years' worth of nightly instalments of Countdown as well as his work on the Yorkshire magazine programme Calendar and various other television projects, at the time of his death Whiteley was believed to have clocked more hours on British television screens—and more than 10,000 appearances—than anyone else alive, apart from Carole Hersee, the young girl who appeared on the BBC's Test Card F.
Filmography
| 2014 | Pride · as Self - Newsreader |
| 2008 | TV's Believe It or Not · as Self |
| 2007 | The Big Fat Anniversary Quiz · as Self |
| 2003 | About a Boy: Deleted Scenes · as Self |
| 2002 | Celebrity Mastermind (TV Series) · as Self - Contender |
| 2002 | |
| 2002 | Today with Des and Mel (TV Series) · as Self - Guest Presenter |
| 2002 | Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2002 | About a Boy · as Self |
| 2001 | Richard & Judy (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2001 | Bill Bailey: Bewilderness · as Self |
| 2000 | My Family (TV Series) · as Richard Whiteley |
| 2000 | A Place in the Sun (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1999 | The 100 Greatest TV Moments · as Self |
| 1999 | Loose Women (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1998 | Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (TV Series) · as Self - Phone A Friend |
| 1998 | SM:TV Live (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1997 | Light Lunch (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1997 | Ant and Dec Unzipped (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | TFI Friday (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1995 | The Mrs Merton Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1993 | Shooting Stars (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1992 | Heroes of Comedy (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1992 | Bad Influence (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1992 | The Big Breakfast (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1990 | Have I Got News for You (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1990 | The Word (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1989 | Kelly (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1988 | This Morning (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1987 | Through the Keyhole (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1983 | Hallelujah! (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1978 | Blankety Blank (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1972 | Emmerdale (TV Series) · as Richard Whiteley |
| 1971 | The Generation Game (TV Series) · as Self - Surprise Guest |
| 1969 | Sez Les (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1955 | This is Your Life (UK) (TV Series) · as Self |