Reginald Bosanquet
Encyclopedia
Reginald Bosanquet was a British journalist, best known for presenting
ITN news
in the 1970s.
er 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.
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 (he was commonly addressed by family, friends and the media as "Reggie"), 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. 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
. 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'.
.
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
.
Towards the end of his life, he presented a number of low-budget straight-to-video News of the World
-style documentaries called Private Spy.
He had a grandson who went on to be the famous Fred Bosanquet, who taught at DGS.
He died from cancer aged 51.
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?").
Bosanquet also made a cameo in Royal Episode 13 of Monty Python's Flying Circus
.
News presenter
A news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...
ITN news
Independent Television News
ITN is a news and content provider with headquarters in the United Kingdom. It is made up of four key businesses: ITN News, ITN Source, ITN Productions and ITN Consulting. The ITN logotype can be displayed in any of 4 different colours, each of which represents a business unit. This is the...
in the 1970s.
Early life
He was the son of the cricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er Bernard Bosanquet
Bernard Bosanquet (cricketer)
Bernard James Tindal Bosanquet was an English cricketer best known for inventing the googly, a delivery designed to deceive the batsman. When bowled, it appears to be a leg break, but after pitching the ball turns in the opposite direction to that which is expected, behaving as an off break instead...
, inventor of the "googly"
Googly
In cricket, a googly is a type of delivery bowled by a right-arm leg spin bowler. It is occasionally referred to as a Bosie , an eponym in honour of its inventor Bernard Bosanquet.- Explanation :...
and a cousin of the public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
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
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
and at New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
where he read History.
Television
Bosanquet was on the staff of ITN from its earliest days, initially as a sub-editor. He later reported from many parts of the world and was the diplomatic correspondent for four years. He briefly became head anchor of ITN from 1974–1976, when Alastair BurnetAlastair Burnet
Sir Alastair Burnet is a British journalist and broadcaster, known for his work in news and current affairs programmes.- Early life :...
left to join the BBC's Panorama
Panorama (TV series)
Panorama is a BBC Television current affairs documentary programme, which was first broadcast in 1953, and is the longest-running public affairs television programme in the world. Panorama has been presented by many well known BBC presenters, including Richard Dimbleby, Robin Day, David Dimbleby...
programme.
His partnership with Anna Ford
Anna Ford
Anna Ford is a retired English journalist and television presenter, best known as a newsreader....
on ITN News
Independent Television News
ITN is a news and content provider with headquarters in the United Kingdom. It is made up of four key businesses: ITN News, ITN Source, ITN Productions and ITN Consulting. The ITN logotype can be displayed in any of 4 different colours, each of which represents a business unit. This is the...
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 (he was commonly addressed by family, friends and the media as "Reggie"), 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. 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
Toupee
A toupée is a hairpiece or partial wig of natural or synthetic hair worn to cover partial baldness or for theatrical purposes. While toupées and hairpieces are typically associated with male wearers, some women also use hairpieces to lengthen existing hair, or cover partially exposed scalp...
. Such rumours became raw material for wags and comedy writers: Bosanquet acquired such nicknames as "Reginald Beaujolais" and "Reginald Boozalot", and Richard Stilgoe
Richard Stilgoe
Richard Henry Simpson Stilgoe OBE is a British songwriter, lyricist and musician. He is noted for clever wordplay as much as for his music....
could point out that an anagram
Anagram
An anagram is a type of word play, the result of rearranging the letters of a word or phrase to produce a new word or phrase, using all the original letters exactly once; e.g., orchestra = carthorse, A decimal point = I'm a dot in place, Tom Marvolo Riddle = I am Lord Voldemort. Someone who...
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 drunk, and insulted various guests, including the Lord Provost of Glasgow (and his eventual successor) Michael KellyMichael Kelly (Lord Provost)
Michael Kelly is a Scottish Labour politician and businessman. He held the position of Lord Provost of Glasgow from 1980 to 1984, and was Rector of the University of Glasgow from 1984 to 1987...
.
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
Kenny Everett
Kenny Everett was an English comedian, radio DJ and television entertainer. Born Maurice James Christopher Cole, Everett is best known for his career as a radio DJ and for the Kenny Everett television shows.-Early life:...
.
Towards the end of his life, he presented a number of low-budget straight-to-video News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
-style documentaries called Private Spy.
Personal life
Bosanquet was married three times.He had a grandson who went on to be the famous Fred Bosanquet, who taught at DGS.
He died from cancer aged 51.
Legacy
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 NewsNot the Nine O'Clock News
Not the Nine O'Clock News is a television comedy sketch show which was broadcast on BBC 2 from 1979 to 1982.Originally shown as a comedy "alternative" to the BBC Nine O'Clock News on BBC 1, it featured satirical sketches on current news stories and popular culture, as well as parody songs, comedy...
team. Broadcast in the sixth show of the first series (20 November 1979), 'Oh, Reginald!' portrayed Anna Ford (played by Pamela Stephenson
Pamela Stephenson
Pamela Helen Stephenson Connolly is a New Zealand-born Australian clinical psychologist and writer now resident in the United Kingdom. She is best known for her work as an actress and comedian during the 1980s...
) 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?").
Bosanquet also made a cameo in Royal Episode 13 of Monty Python's Flying Circus
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Monty Python’s Flying Circus is a BBC TV sketch comedy series. The shows were composed of surreality, risqué or innuendo-laden humour, sight gags and observational sketches without punchlines...
.