Blockbusters presenter Bob Holness dies, aged 83

TV presenter Bob Holness, best known as the host of popular ITV quiz Blockbusters, has died at the age of 83.

A statement released by his family said he "died peacefully in his sleep early this morning".

Bob Holness was born in South Africa in 1928. Shortly afterwards, his family moved to Ashford in Kent. His long career in broadcasting stretches back to 1955, and his first job as a radio presenter. In the same year, he married his wife Mary, who he met in South Africa.

In 1956, Bob played James Bond in a radio production of Moonraker, but his career took off with a vengeance after returning to the UK where he honed his skills as a radio presenter.

In huge demand on the medium, he would go on to helm many shows such as London's LBC breakfast show with Douglas Cameron and Anything Goes on the BBC World Service. From 1971-1982, he was also the announcer for BBC1's legendary game show, The Generation Game.

Bob Holness, who would enjoy massive success on television in the 1980s thanks to a quiz show with a game board of hexagons, first kicked off his TV career hosting game show Take a Letter in 1962.

He also presented Thames Television's magazine programme Today and Yorkshire Television game show Raise the Roof before becoming the chairman of a 1997-2002 revival of Call My Bluff for the BBC.

The Blockbuster years

However, Bob Holness will remain best known for hosting Blockbusters for ITV from 1983 until 1993, and for Sky One (as it was back then) in 1994. The quiz show, aimed at teenagers, made him a cult figure among the young of that time.

Bob's pop culture standing was inadvertently cemented thanks to the rules of the game; contestants had to ask for a letter in order to play so "Can I have a 'P' please, Bob?" especially (with its pun on toilet humour) never failed to spark giggles. It remains a well known catchphrase to this day.

Another popular request was: "Can I have an 'E' please, Bob?", particularly at the height of the acid house era. Blockbusters switched to satellite channel Sky One for one run, and made an unsuccessful return on the same channel with Liza Tarbuck at the helm in 2000.

Game show channel Challenge - in addition to airing reruns - is to revive the show later this year. However, for the man that made it famous, Blockbusters will remain his big TV legacy.

In 2002, Bob Holness suffered a major stroke. For the last few years, he has been in a nursing home. He leaves his wife Mary, three children and seven grandchildren.

Robert Wentworth John Holness, broadcaster, born 12 November 1928; died 6 January 2012

How will you remember Bob Holness? Let us know by sharing your thoughts and memories.