Richard Whiteley

John Richard Whiteley, OBE , DL (28 December 1943 – 26 June 2005) was a British television presenter and journalist. He was most famous for his 23-year stint as presenter of Countdown, a letters and numbers arrangement game show broadcast daily on Channel 4. An edition of Countdown was the launch programme for Channel 4 at 4:45pm on 2 November 1982, and Whiteley was the first person to be seen on the channel. His trademarks were his jolly, avuncular manner; his gift for bad puns; and bold wardrobe (particularly jackets and ties).

Bibliography

• Himoff!: The Memoirs of a TV Matinee Idle by Richard Whiteley (London, Orion Books, 2001) ISBN 0752843451.