Reginald Bosanquet

Reginald Bosanquet (9 August1932 – 27 May 1984) was a British journalist, best known for presenting ITN news in the 1970s.

Early life

He was the son of the cricketer Bernard Bosanquet, inventor of the "googly" and a cousin of the public relations executive Christopher Bosanquet. Bosanquet was also a great great grandson of Sir Nicolas Conyngham Tindal, Lord Chief Justice from 1829–1843.

He was educated at Winchester College and at New College, Oxford where he read History.

Television

Bosanquet joined ITN when it began, as a sub-editor. He later reported from many parts of the world and was the diplomatic correspondent for four years. Reginald briefly became head anchor of ITN from 1974–1976, when Alastair Burnet left to join the BBC's Panorama programme.

His partnership with Anna Ford on ITN News was popular with viewers in the late 1970s, with Ford regarded as notably attractive and Bosanquet sometimes showing an obvious gallantry in his behaviour towards her. As Ford has since revealed, this could prove distressing: on one occasion Bosanquet, having somehow discovered the birth-date of Ford's mother, wished the woman a 'happy birthday' at the end of the broadcast—unaware that she had died some time previously.

Although held in considerable affection by the public, Bosanquet was not without his critics as a newsreader. At times he could appear puzzled by unfamiliar foreign names and confused by news stories containing technical matters he did not understand. Fact|date=February 2007 His trademark slurred delivery, said to be caused by epilepsy, also fed suspicions that he was a heavy drinker; stories also circulated that he wore a toupee. [Evening Standard 15 May 2000] Such rumours became raw material for wags and comedy writers: Bosanquet acquired such nicknames as "Reginald Beaujolais" and "Reginald Boozalot"", and Richard Stilgoe could point out that an anagram of 'REGINALD BOSANQUET' was 'ITN SQUARE GONE BALD'.

Later career

Bosanquet was elected as Rector of the University of Glasgow from 1980 to 1984. He was a controversial choice. Shortly after his election he hit the headlines when he turned up at an official reception late and considerably the worse for drink, and insulted various guests, including the Lord Provost of Glasgow (and his eventual successor) Michael Kelly.

In 1980, Bosanquet "sang" on the disco single "Dance With Me".It was voted #1 in the Bottom 30 by listeners of British DJ Kenny Everett. [Everett, Kenny. [http://www.chronoglide.com/WWWS_Show1980.html "The Bottom 30: 1980"] , Capital Radio, 1980-04-04. Retrieved 2008-04-18.]

Personal life

Bosanquet was married three times. He died from pancreatic cancer aged 51, and was cremated at Putney Vale Crematorium.

Trivia

It has been suggested that, when not reading the news, Bosanquet “... divided his time between playing tennis, holding court in the ITN bar and penning amorous poetry about Anna Ford.” [ [http://www.offthetelly.co.uk/reviews/2006/snowmail.htm Review by Ian Jones, OffTheTelly] ] Bosanquet was also well known for his love of Bar billiards and did indeed make the headlines for becoming Patron of the All-England Bar Billiards Association. He also reached the headlines for breaking into his ex-wife's flat, an offence which got him thrown off the judging panel for “Dustman of the Year 1975”.

Bosanquet's early and sudden retirement from newsreading in the autumn of 1979 was the inspiration for an affectionate song by the "Not the Nine O'Clock News" team. Broadcast in the sixth show of the first series (20 November 1979), 'Oh, Reginald!' portrayed Anna Ford (played by Pamela Stephenson) as having been secretly in love with her fellow newsreader, and saddened by his disappearance from the programme ("Oh Bosanquet, why did you go away? Oh, Bosanquet, why did you leave me this way?"). Reports circulated afterwards that Bosanquet found the song extremely touching.

Bosanquet also made a cameo in Royal Episode 13 of Monty Python's Flying Circus.

References

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