Bob Greaves
Encyclopedia
Bob Greaves was an English journalist and broadcaster, best known as a long-serving reporter, presenter and producer for Granada Television
for 35 years.
Robert Morgan Greaves was born in Sale, Cheshire
and educated at the local Sale Boys' Grammar School
, but did not attend university. He began his career working on the local newspaper, the Sale and Stretford Guardian, and later on the Nottingham Evening News, then at the Daily Mail
at its Manchester
office.
Greaves joined Granada Television
in Quay Street
, Manchester in 1964 as a reporter and editor for the regional news magazine Scene at 6:30, working alongside the likes of Bill Grundy
, Brian Trueman
, Michael Parkinson
and Mike Scott.
Greaves became a mainstay chief presenter of the station's flagship regional news output, including Newscene, Granada Reports
& Granada Tonight for over 30 years and fronted a wide range of local current affairs and features programming, including Scramble, Family Trees, Bob's Century, Time Off and Bob's Hotline. One such regional programme hosted by Greaves, the social action series Reports Action (a Granada Reports spin-off) was transmitted across the ITV network during the early 1980s. He also presented and reported for the Channel 4
series Union World.
Away from his work for Granada, he is best remembered for a clip on It'll Be Alright on the Night
involving Greaves and an elephant called Judy while he was presenting a live programme from Chester Zoo
in 1981. He retired from Granada Television in 1999.
On 17 January 2008, he appeared on the BBC One
daytime programme Wanted Down Under
, in which he visited the coastal city of Cairns
in Queensland
, Australia with his fourth wife, Sonia, a naturopathic counsellor, and contemplated a permanent move there.
Greaves died at home after a long battle with cancer on 14 March 2011, aged 76. His funeral service took place at Timperley Methodist Church on Friday 1 April.
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
for 35 years.
Robert Morgan Greaves was born in Sale, Cheshire
Sale, Greater Manchester
Sale is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. Historically part of Cheshire, the town lies on flat ground on the south bank of the River Mersey, south of Stretford, northeast of Altrincham, and southwest of the city of Manchester...
and educated at the local Sale Boys' Grammar School
Sale Grammar School
Sale Grammar School is a selective school with a dual specialism in the visual arts and science. The school is located in Sale to the south of Manchester, England.The school became an Academy Trust Grammar School in 2011...
, but did not attend university. He began his career working on the local newspaper, the Sale and Stretford Guardian, and later on the Nottingham Evening News, then at the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
at its Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
office.
Greaves joined Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
in Quay Street
Quay Street
Quay Street is a street in the city centre of Manchester, England. The street continues Peter Street westwards towards Salford. Spinningfields, Manchester's new business district, is to the north and Castlefield, the historical area of the city to the south...
, Manchester in 1964 as a reporter and editor for the regional news magazine Scene at 6:30, working alongside the likes of Bill Grundy
Bill Grundy
William "Bill" Grundy was an English television presenter and former host of Today, a regional news programme broadcast on Thames Television...
, Brian Trueman
Brian Trueman
Brian Trueman is a British writer and broadcaster known mainly for his work with the animation studio Cosgrove Hall...
, Michael Parkinson
Michael Parkinson
Sir Michael Parkinson, CBE is an English broadcaster, journalist and author. He presented his interview programme, Parkinson, from 1971 to 1982 and from 1998 to 2007.- Early life :...
and Mike Scott.
Greaves became a mainstay chief presenter of the station's flagship regional news output, including Newscene, Granada Reports
Granada Reports
Granada Reports is the flagship regional news programme of ITV franchisee Granada, presented by Tony Morris and Lucy Meacock, and serving the North West of England and the Isle of Man....
& Granada Tonight for over 30 years and fronted a wide range of local current affairs and features programming, including Scramble, Family Trees, Bob's Century, Time Off and Bob's Hotline. One such regional programme hosted by Greaves, the social action series Reports Action (a Granada Reports spin-off) was transmitted across the ITV network during the early 1980s. He also presented and reported for the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
series Union World.
Away from his work for Granada, he is best remembered for a clip on It'll Be Alright on the Night
It'll be Alright on the Night
It'll be Alright on the Night is a British television bloopers show screened on ITV and produced by London Weekend Television. It was one of the first shows created with the specific purpose of showing behind the scenes bloopers from film and TV and it has been running since 18 September 1977...
involving Greaves and an elephant called Judy while he was presenting a live programme from Chester Zoo
Chester Zoo
Chester Zoo is a zoological garden at Upton-by-Chester, in Cheshire, England. It was opened in 1931 by George Mottershead and his family, who used as a basis some animals reported to have come from an earlier zoo in Shavington. It is one of the UK's largest zoos at...
in 1981. He retired from Granada Television in 1999.
On 17 January 2008, he appeared on the BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
daytime programme Wanted Down Under
Wanted Down Under
Wanted Down Under is a BBC One morning television series, which has been running since 2007. The program shows families considering emigrating to either Australia or New Zealand.-Format:...
, in which he visited the coastal city of Cairns
Cairns, Queensland
Cairns is a regional city in Far North Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. The city was named after William Wellington Cairns, then-current Governor of Queensland. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an easier route was...
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia with his fourth wife, Sonia, a naturopathic counsellor, and contemplated a permanent move there.
Greaves died at home after a long battle with cancer on 14 March 2011, aged 76. His funeral service took place at Timperley Methodist Church on Friday 1 April.