Peter Snow

Infobox Person
name = Peter Snow


caption =
birth_date = birth date and age|1938|04|20
birth_place = Dublin, Ireland
death_date =
death_place =
other_names =
known_for = Swingometer
"Newsnight"
"ITN"
occupation = Television and radio presenter
nationality =
spouse = Ann MacMillan
partner =
children = 6 children, including Dan Snow
parents =
relations =


website = [http://www.petersnow.co.uk/ petersnow.co.uk]

Peter Snow CBE (born 20 April 1938 in Dublin, Ireland) is a television and radio presenter in Britain. He is the grandson of First World War general Sir Thomas D'Oyly Snow, and cousin of Jon Snow, the main presenter of "Channel 4 News", nephew of schoolmaster and bishop George D'Oyly Snow, and the brother-in-law of historian-writer Margaret MacMillan.

Background

He was educated at Wellington College and subsequently read Greats (Classics) at Balliol College, Oxford, where he was taught by R.M. Hare.

Career

Snow was a newscaster for Independent Television News (ITN) from the 1962,cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/news/petersnow.shtml |title=Peter Snow Biography |publisher=BBC Press Office |accessdate=2008-08-07 |date=January 2006 ] but gained most fame when recruited to present the BBC Two in-depth news programme "Newsnight" in 1979.cite web |url=http://www.petersnow.co.uk/ |title=Peter Snow CBE |publisher=Peter Snow |accessdate=2008-08-07 ] He retired from "Newsnight" in 1997 and has since presented "Tomorrow's World" (with Philippa Forrester) and the BBC Radio 4 quizzes "Masterteam" and "Brain of Britain", amongst other projects.

He has been involved in the live general election results programmes for many years, first at ITN and later for the BBC. He presents statistical analyses of the election results, and took over responsibility for these following the death of Robert McKenzie, and became largely associated with the "Swingometer" when it was reinstated in 1992. He is known for his somewhat excitable style of presentation and ever-more elaborate props and graphics, though perhaps his most famous prop was the most basic - a "sandpit" which he used to illustrate the progress of the First Gulf War.

He survived a plane crash in Washington, United States on 1 October, 1999.

Along with his son, Dan, Snow presented a TV series "Battlefield Britain", covering battles on British soil from Boudicca's struggle with the Romans to the Battle of Britain. Sometimes they point out the hardships that the much smaller soldiers must have faced (Peter is 6'5" and Dan is 6'6"). They reunited to host "20th Century Battlefields" for the Military Channel and BBC 2 in 2006. This covers battles all around the world and is presented in similar fashion to the first Battlefield Britain.

On 6 October, 2005, the BBC announced that Snow would be standing down from his electoral responsibilities and concentrate more on nature programmes. Mr. Snow himself is quoted as saying "I shall be over 70 at the next general election and that, frankly, is a bit old to be dancing around waving it all about in front of huge graphic displays."

In May 2007, a musical of Snow's turbulent career entitled "The Snowman" was premiered at the Ifield Barn Theatre in Crawley, West Sussex.

In January 2008, while presenting "What Britain Earns", a BBC programme about salaries in the UK alongside his son, he admitted to earning around £100,000 a year.

In August 2008 Snow appeared in the reality tv talent show-themed television series, "Maestro on BBC Two.cite press release
title = Eight passionate amateurs bid to become BBC Two's Maestro
publisher = BBC
date = 2008-05-23
url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/05_may/23/maestro.shtml
accessdate = 2008-05-24]

Personal life

He is the father of Dan Snow and five other children including a French son born before his first marriage.Fact|date=May 2008 He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to broadcasting in the 2006 Queen's New Year's Honours List. He married Alison Carter in 1964 and the couple had a son and a daughter but divorced nine years later.Fact|date=May 2008 He married Ann MacMillan (of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation since 1981) in 1976 and the couple now have a son and two daughters.Fact|date=May 2008 His wife and sister-in-law are great-granddaughters of former British Prime Minister David Lloyd George.Fact|date=May 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.petersnow.co.uk Peter Snow Official Website]
* [http://david-lawson.blogspot.com/2007/11/meeting-your-heroes.html Peter Snow talks about his career to reporter David Lawson]
* BBC News Online - [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/463656.stm Peter Snow survives plane crash]
*BBC News Online - [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4316866.stm Peter Snow hangs up swingometer]
* BBC News Online (Peter Snow remembers...) - [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/newsnight25/4209789.stm]
* [http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780563522959 RandomHouse article] - The World's Greatest 20th Century Battles
* [http://www.amazon.com/dp/056352295X/ Amazon Link] for 20th Century Battlefields
* [http://www.ludlowfestival.co.uk/show_article.php?aID=161 An Audience with Peter Snow] was the highlight of the 2007 Ludlow Festival on July 7th.
* [http://www.ifieldbarn.co.uk/] For details of "The Snowman" the musical