Gilbert Harding
Encyclopedia
Gilbert Charles Harding was a British
journalist and radio and television personality. His many careers included schoolmaster, journalist, policeman, disc-jockey, interviewer and television presenter. He also appeared in several films, sometimes in character parts but usually as himself.
His father was killed at an early age and so his mother placed him into the care of The Royal Orphanage of Wolverhampton
. Harding's education continued at Queens' College
, Cambridge
after which he took jobs teaching English in Canada
and France
. He returned to Britain and worked as a policeman in Bradford
, before taking a position as The Times
correspondent in Cyprus
. In 1936 he again returned to England and began a long-term career with the BBC
. He regularly appeared on the BBC television panel game What's My Line? as a panellist, having been the presenter of the very first episode in 1951.
Harding was notorious for his irascibility and was at one time characterized in the tabloid press as "the rudest man in Britain". His fame sprang from an inability to suffer fools gladly, and many 1950s TV viewers watched What's My Line? less for the quiz elements than for the chance of a live Harding outburst. An incident on an early broadcast started this trend when Harding became annoyed with a rather self-satisfied contestant. He broke the genteel civility of 1950s BBC Television by telling the contestant that he was getting bored with him. The tabloids lapped this up and the show became compulsive viewing.
The insults on TV were nothing to those in private, such as a wedding reception at which a guest remarked that the bride and groom would make an ideal couple. Harding replied "you should know, you've slept with both of them". He became increasingly unable to move anywhere in public without being accosted by adoring viewers. On one occasion he asked a mother with two children if "your children are crippled", because they had stayed seated on a railway bench.
In 1960 he was reduced to tears on an edition of the Face to Face series, after being questioned by the host John Freeman. As the focus of the interview moved on to the subject of death, Freeman asked Harding if he had ever been in the presence of a dead person. At this point, in replying in the affirmative, Harding's voice began to break and his eyes watered. Freeman later admitted he had not anticipated the effect this would have; Harding had recently witnessed his mother's death. Freeman appeared to be unaware that Harding was referring to his mother, since later in the interview he asserted that Harding's mother was still alive. Harding contradicted him and Freeman moved quickly on.
Freeman publicly expressed regret about this line of questioning, which was seen by some commentators in retrospect as a tactless attempt to expose Harding's homosexuality
, though the viewing public did not become aware of it, and he was seen as merely a lonely bachelor. Like all homosexuals in public life at the time, he kept it secret because male homosexual behaviour was a criminal offence in the UK
. Harding also admitted in the programme that his bad manners and temper were "indefensible". "I'm profoundly lonely", he stated; later adding "I would very much like to be dead". He did die a few weeks after the programme was broadcast, directly after recording a radio programme, collapsing outside Broadcasting House
as he was about to climb into a taxi. The cause was an asthma
attack. He was 53 years old.
Behind this gruff exterior there was a lonely and complex man who constantly donated to charity, visited the sick and helped many in need. But such details, in conflict with the public image, became public only after his death. In 1979 radio presenter Owen Spencer-Thomas
on BBC Radio London's Gilbert Harding described him as "enigmatic...bad-tempered and rude, yet his friends counted him as one of the kindest, and most generous."
The Face to Face interview was re-broadcast on BBC Four
on 18 October 2005, following a repeated episode of What's My Line?.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
journalist and radio and television personality. His many careers included schoolmaster, journalist, policeman, disc-jockey, interviewer and television presenter. He also appeared in several films, sometimes in character parts but usually as himself.
His father was killed at an early age and so his mother placed him into the care of The Royal Orphanage of Wolverhampton
Royal Wolverhampton School
The Royal Wolverhampton School began life as The Wolverhampton Orphan Asylum in 1850. It was founded by John Lees, a local lock-manufacturer and freemason, after a cholera epidemic ravaged the town and left many children orphaned...
. Harding's education continued at Queens' College
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
after which he took jobs teaching English in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He returned to Britain and worked as a policeman in Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, before taking a position as The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
correspondent in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. In 1936 he again returned to England and began a long-term career with the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. He regularly appeared on the BBC television panel game What's My Line? as a panellist, having been the presenter of the very first episode in 1951.
Harding was notorious for his irascibility and was at one time characterized in the tabloid press as "the rudest man in Britain". His fame sprang from an inability to suffer fools gladly, and many 1950s TV viewers watched What's My Line? less for the quiz elements than for the chance of a live Harding outburst. An incident on an early broadcast started this trend when Harding became annoyed with a rather self-satisfied contestant. He broke the genteel civility of 1950s BBC Television by telling the contestant that he was getting bored with him. The tabloids lapped this up and the show became compulsive viewing.
The insults on TV were nothing to those in private, such as a wedding reception at which a guest remarked that the bride and groom would make an ideal couple. Harding replied "you should know, you've slept with both of them". He became increasingly unable to move anywhere in public without being accosted by adoring viewers. On one occasion he asked a mother with two children if "your children are crippled", because they had stayed seated on a railway bench.
In 1960 he was reduced to tears on an edition of the Face to Face series, after being questioned by the host John Freeman. As the focus of the interview moved on to the subject of death, Freeman asked Harding if he had ever been in the presence of a dead person. At this point, in replying in the affirmative, Harding's voice began to break and his eyes watered. Freeman later admitted he had not anticipated the effect this would have; Harding had recently witnessed his mother's death. Freeman appeared to be unaware that Harding was referring to his mother, since later in the interview he asserted that Harding's mother was still alive. Harding contradicted him and Freeman moved quickly on.
Freeman publicly expressed regret about this line of questioning, which was seen by some commentators in retrospect as a tactless attempt to expose Harding's homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, though the viewing public did not become aware of it, and he was seen as merely a lonely bachelor. Like all homosexuals in public life at the time, he kept it secret because male homosexual behaviour was a criminal offence in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Harding also admitted in the programme that his bad manners and temper were "indefensible". "I'm profoundly lonely", he stated; later adding "I would very much like to be dead". He did die a few weeks after the programme was broadcast, directly after recording a radio programme, collapsing outside Broadcasting House
Broadcasting House
Broadcasting House is the headquarters and registered office of the BBC in Portland Place and Langham Place, London.The building includes the BBC Radio Theatre from where music and speech programmes are recorded in front of a studio audience...
as he was about to climb into a taxi. The cause was an asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
attack. He was 53 years old.
Behind this gruff exterior there was a lonely and complex man who constantly donated to charity, visited the sick and helped many in need. But such details, in conflict with the public image, became public only after his death. In 1979 radio presenter Owen Spencer-Thomas
Owen Spencer-Thomas
Owen Robert Spencer-Thomas MBE is perhaps best known as a television and radio news journalist over three decades, but he has also undertaken a wide range of philanthropric work as volunteer charity fundraiser, pioneer and campaigner for people with autism and other disabilities...
on BBC Radio London's Gilbert Harding described him as "enigmatic...bad-tempered and rude, yet his friends counted him as one of the kindest, and most generous."
The Face to Face interview was re-broadcast on BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
on 18 October 2005, following a repeated episode of What's My Line?.
External links
- Russ J. Graham, "Gilbert Harding" at TV Heroes.
- Andrew Roberts, "Harding, Gilbert (1907-1960)" at ScreenOnline, British Film Institute.