Haigh, Peter

Peter was born in North London. In 1944, he was commissioned into the 5th Battalion, the Welsh Guards. He served in Palestine and Egypt and joined the British Forces Broadcasting in Jersualem.

He helped start up the BBC Overseas News station in Mombassa, Kenya and after leaving the army, he failed to get a job as a BBC Radio announcer.

However, in March 1951 he had a two-week trial standing in for the holidaying MacDonald Hobley at Alexandra Palace, making his debut on the 17th March.

With Haigh’s debonair style, he was asked to join the team of continuity announcers headed by Hobley, with Mary Malcolm and Sylvia Peters. He remained until 1962.

His BBC Television credits include:

• The Lord Mayor’s Dinner (9th November 1953);
• Question master on The Memory Man (1954 – 1955);
• Driving Club – motoring magazine, co-presented with Barrie Edgar (1954);
• Now (1955);
• Top Town (1955 – 1956);
• View Clues – television crossword game (1955);
• Film Time (1955 – 1956);
• Information Desk, alongside Nan Winton (1955 – 1956);
• Miss World (20th October 1955);
• Host on Come Dancing (1956) and regional compére (19th December 1960 and 22nd February 1971);
• Picture Parade – a weekly film review programme, co-presented with actor Derek Bond (1956 – 1958);
• Christmas Parade (1956);
• Great Scott – It’s Maynard (1956);
• Next Week’s Calls (1956);
• The Ivor Novello Awards (11th March 1956);
• Round the Bend (1956);
• Hancock’s Half Hour (6th July 1956);
• Pantomania or Dick Whittington (25th December 1956);
• Pantomania or The Babes in the Wood (25th December 1957);
• Variety Club of Great Britain Awards (BBC One, 1958, 1962, 1964 – 1967 and 1969);
• Into Thin Air (1959 – 1960);
• Chairman on Laugh Line (1960 – 1961);
• Panellist on Juke Box Jury (1960 and 1965);
• Open House (BBC Two, 1964);
• Chairman on Many a Slip (BBC Two, 1965);
• Team captain and panellist on Call My Bluff (BBC Two, 1969 and 1970).

He presented You’re Welcome (3rd April 1956) – the programme marked the official opening of the newly equipped BBC television studio in Dickenson Road, Manchester.

He provided the BBC commentary for the 1958 Eurovision Song Contest (16th March 1958), staged that year in Hilversum, Netherlands. In 1962, he provided the BBC radio commentary for the contest.

He presented various radio programmes including:

• Club Piccadilly (BBC Light Programme, 1954);
• Movie Go Round on Sunday afternoons (BBC Light Programme/BBC Radio 2, 1958 – 1969);
• Housewives’ Choice (BBC Light Programme, 1958);
• Peter Calls the Tune (BBC Light Programme, 1960);
• Devised/presented Let’s Find Out (BBC Light Programme, 1960 – 1962);
• Light Night Extra (BBC Light Programme, 1965);
• Roundabout (BBC Radio 2, 1968 – 1970);
• Referee on Call My Bluff (BBC Radio 4, 1969).

His first marriage to 1950s film star Jill Adams ended – they were married from 1957 until 1976, and had a daughter.

From the early 1970s, Peter lived in Portugal running a restaurant and bar popular with British tourists and where he met his German-born second wife, Inge.

They returned to the UK in the 1980s, but he couldn’t resume his broadcasting career full-time as he had hoped.

He presented The Seven Ages (BBC Radio 2, 1986 – 1989 and 1991) and his own Sunday evening programme on BBC Radio 2 (1988).

He appeared as a guest celebrating Charlie Chester’s 80th birthday in Happy Birthday Charlie and Sopabox (BBC Radio 2, 1st May 1994). He also did some voiceovers for advertisements.

In a special week of programmes celebrating TV50, Peter appeared as an in-vision announcer on BBC Two in November 1986.

During that broadcast he commented: “First of all your hostess for Monday evening is Mary Malcolm, who actually introduced me to an unsuspecting nation on St Patrick’s night 1951, breaking into her holiday to do so. Thank you Mary.”

His final TV appearance was as a guest of Des Lynam’s on It’s My Pleasure (BBC Two, 17th December 1987).

Peter died aged 75.

Personal information

Clips of Peter on The TV Room

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Online presence

Acknowledgements