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Stuart Hall (television presenter)
Encyclopedia
James Stuart Hall is a BBC
radio and television presenter.
Hall claims to have coined the phrase "The Beautiful Game
" as a youngster to describe football. As a lifelong Manchester City supporter
he admired prolific goal-scorer Peter Doherty
's style of playing and consequently used the phrase "The Beautiful Game" to describe Doherty. Later on his life he embarked on a football commentary career and his use of "The Beautiful Game" popularised the phrase.
, Cheshire
and Glossop
, Derbyshire
where he attended the local grammar school
before studying at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology.
.
in 1959 as a general reporter on Radio Newsreel and a sports journalist on Sports Report
where he still broadcasts. Between 1965 and 1990 he presented the BBC's regional news programmes for the North West, originally called Look North
, then Look North West and finally North West Tonight. He became familiar to viewers throughout the region and the same could be said for his trademark sign off, wishing viewers a fond farewell. For several years up until his departure, he hosted the programme alongside John Mundy
. He has a weekly column in the sports section of the Radio Times.
In 1990, he made the move to Granada Reports
, where he was reunited with his old rival Bob Greaves
for some light hearted banter in a slot titled "Greaves and Hall."
between 1972 and 1982 and its European equivalent, Jeux Sans Frontières
. During the programme, he would often be carried away by the slapstick
humour of the competition and become incoherent with laughter. This led to his becoming a popular subject for impersonation. He also presented Quiz Ball (a football quiz) on BBC television during the early 1970s and he was the original host of the long running sports quiz A Question Of Sport
(at that time only broadcast in the North of England); and in the late 1990s he presented Going, Going, Gone
, an antiques
quiz show
for the BBC
and provided the voice-over for God's Gift
for Granada
. During the late 1960s, he was a commentator on Match Of The Day
.
From 2007 to 2008, he was the voice-over for the UK version of the Japanese obstacle course show Ninja Warrior
on Challenge.
In 2008, he provided his voice for a special segment on Les Dennis's Home Video Heroes
. In a typical episode, he would be shown a series of funny clips and there would be a 'Laugh-o-meter' at the bottom of the screen measuring how much he laughed.
. His reports are unique, scattered with allusions to the works of Shakespeare
and all manner of linguistic tricks. He also appears on Channel M News occasionally in Manchester
. He is well known for his love of Manchester City
, although he has affectionately referred to their former home ground Maine Road
as the Theatre of Base Comedy. This is an allusion to City's Manchester derby
rivals Manchester United
's home ground Old Trafford
, which is known as the Theatre of Dreams. On 10 December 2009 Radio 5 Live presented a special programme, Stuart Hall Night, broadcast live from the City of Manchester Stadium
.
, congratulating Hall on celebrating 40 years in broadcasting. The motion, by former Labour
sports spokesman Tom Pendry
, says Hall is an "icon with the youth of today" with his football
reporting on BBC Radio 5 Live.
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...
radio and television presenter.
Hall claims to have coined the phrase "The Beautiful Game
The Beautiful Game
The phrase "The Beautiful Game" is a synonym for Association Football. The origin or individual who coined the phrase is unknown and it is difficult to verify. Football commentator Stuart Hall is the only individual to have claimed to have created "The Beautiful Game"...
" as a youngster to describe football. As a lifelong Manchester City supporter
Manchester City F.C. supporters
Since their inception in 1880 as St. Mark's , Manchester City F.C have developed a loyal, passionate and dedicated fanbase.Despite finishing 5th in English football's top division, the club were the third best supported team in English football by average league attendance in the 2009–10 season and...
he admired prolific goal-scorer Peter Doherty
Peter Doherty (footballer)
Peter Dermot Doherty was a Northern Ireland international footballer and manager who played for Manchester City.An inside left, he was one of the top players of his time, winning a league title with Manchester City, an F.A. Cup final with Derby County in which he scored, and gained 16 caps for...
's style of playing and consequently used the phrase "The Beautiful Game" to describe Doherty. Later on his life he embarked on a football commentary career and his use of "The Beautiful Game" popularised the phrase.
Early life and education
Hall is the eldest son of James Stuart Hall senior, a baker, and his wife Mary (née Hennessey). He was brought up in HydeHyde, Greater Manchester
Hyde is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. As of the 2001 census, the town had a population of 31,253. Historically part of Cheshire, it is northeast of Stockport, west of Glossop and east of Manchester....
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
and Glossop
Glossop
Glossop is a market town within the Borough of High Peak in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the Glossop Brook, a tributary of the River Etherow, about east of the city of Manchester, west of the city of Sheffield. Glossop is situated near Derbyshire's county borders with Cheshire, Greater...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
where he attended the local grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
before studying at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology.
Home life
Stuart Hall has been married to Hazel since 1 March 1968 and they have two children, Daniel and Francesca. His grandfather James Hall was a watchmaker and jeweller, which may go to explain his large collection of time pieces. He possesses an extensive collection of clocks including one that was owned by NapoleonNapoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
.
Journalism
He joined the BBCBBC
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...
in 1959 as a general reporter on Radio Newsreel and a sports journalist on Sports Report
Sports Report
Sports Report is one of the longest-running programmes on British radio. It started in the first week of 1948, and has always been aired from 5.00 to 6.00 p.m...
where he still broadcasts. Between 1965 and 1990 he presented the BBC's regional news programmes for the North West, originally called Look North
BBC Look North
BBC Look North is a name used by the BBC for its local regional news programme in three regions in the North of England:*BBC Look North for the BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire region*BBC Look North for the BBC Yorkshire region...
, then Look North West and finally North West Tonight. He became familiar to viewers throughout the region and the same could be said for his trademark sign off, wishing viewers a fond farewell. For several years up until his departure, he hosted the programme alongside John Mundy
John Mundy (presenter)
John Mundy born in Manchester, England is a British television presenter and voice-over artist.He anchored the regional news programme BBC North West Tonight. and its previous incarnations from the early 1980s until 1993....
. He has a weekly column in the sports section of the Radio Times.
In 1990, he made the move to 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....
, where he was reunited with his old rival Bob Greaves
Bob Greaves
Bob Greaves was an English journalist and broadcaster, best known as a long-serving reporter, presenter and producer for Granada Television for 35 years....
for some light hearted banter in a slot titled "Greaves and Hall."
Light entertainment
Hall became particularly well-known as the presenter of It's a KnockoutIt's a Knockout
It's a Knockout was adapted from the French show Intervilles. It ran between from 7 August 1966 to 25 December 1988 on BBC1, 28 May 1990 on ITV, 3 August 1991 to 24 December 1994 on S4C and from 3 September 1999 to 6 January 2001 on Channel 5, produced by Richard Hearsey and Ronin Entertainment...
between 1972 and 1982 and its European equivalent, Jeux Sans Frontières
Jeux Sans Frontieres
Jeux Sans Frontières was a Europe-wide television game show.In its original conception, it was broadcast from 1965 to 1999 under the auspices of the European Broadcasting Union and featured teams from different European countries in outlandish costumes competing to complete bizarre tasks in funny...
. During the programme, he would often be carried away by the slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
humour of the competition and become incoherent with laughter. This led to his becoming a popular subject for impersonation. He also presented Quiz Ball (a football quiz) on BBC television during the early 1970s and he was the original host of the long running sports quiz A Question Of Sport
A Question of Sport
A Question of Sport is a long-running BBC quiz show which started on 2 December 1968 and continues to this day. It is currently recorded at The Studios, MediaCityUK...
(at that time only broadcast in the North of England); and in the late 1990s he presented Going, Going, Gone
Going, Going, Gone (TV series)
Going, Going, Gone was an antiques quiz show in the UK during the 1990s, which was shown on BBC Two and which was produced by BBC Scotland in Glasgow. The show ran from 16 October 1995 to 11 March 1998, and aired 144 programmes...
, an antiques
Antiques
An antique is an old collectible item. It is collected or desirable because of its age , beauty, rarity, condition, utility, personal emotional connection, and/or other unique features...
quiz show
Quiz Show
Quiz Show is a 1994 American historical drama film produced and directed by Robert Redford. Adapted by Paul Attanasio from Richard Goodwin's memoir Remembering America, the film is based upon the Twenty One quiz show scandal of the 1950s...
for 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...
and provided the voice-over for God's Gift
God's Gift (TV series)
God's Gift was a British television game show broadcast for 2 series . It was produced by Granada Television and presented from the studio floor by Davina McCall and Claudia Winkleman . Stuart Hall provided the voiceover for both series...
for Granada
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....
. During the late 1960s, he was a commentator on Match Of The Day
Match of the Day
Match of the Day is the BBC's main football television programme. Typically, it is shown on BBC One on Saturday evenings during the English football season, showing highlights of the day's matches in English football's top division, the Premier League...
.
From 2007 to 2008, he was the voice-over for the UK version of the Japanese obstacle course show Ninja Warrior
Sasuke (TV series)
Sasuke is a Japanese sports entertainment television special in which 100 competitors attempt to complete a four stage obstacle course. An edited version, renamed Ninja Warrior, is screened in at least 18 other countries....
on Challenge.
In 2008, he provided his voice for a special segment on Les Dennis's Home Video Heroes
Les Dennis's Home Video Heroes
Les Dennis's Home Video Heroes was a British television programme, which ran for two series on Challenge in 2008. It featured humorous clips from home videos. The show was narrated by Les Dennis, with a special "Laugh-o-meter" segment being narrated by Stuart Hall.The show was repeated on Channel...
. In a typical episode, he would be shown a series of funny clips and there would be a 'Laugh-o-meter' at the bottom of the screen measuring how much he laughed.
Football
Hall still works as a football reporter for BBC Radio 5 LiveBBC Radio 5 Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
. His reports are unique, scattered with allusions to the works of Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
and all manner of linguistic tricks. He also appears on Channel M News occasionally in 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...
. He is well known for his love of Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
, although he has affectionately referred to their former home ground Maine Road
Maine Road
Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England that was home to Manchester City F.C. from its construction in 1923 until 2003...
as the Theatre of Base Comedy. This is an allusion to City's Manchester derby
Manchester derby
The Manchester derby is the name given to football matches between Manchester City and Manchester United. The local derby centres on the City of Manchester and Greater Manchester with approximately four miles separating the clubs with City based in east Manchester at the City of Manchester Stadium...
rivals Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
's home ground Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
, which is known as the Theatre of Dreams. On 10 December 2009 Radio 5 Live presented a special programme, Stuart Hall Night, broadcast live from the City of Manchester Stadium
City of Manchester Stadium
The City of Manchester Stadium in Manchester, England – also known as the Etihad Stadium for sponsorship purposes– is the home ground of...
.
Accolades
In 1999 more than 50 Members of Parliament signed a House of Commons motionMotion (democracy)
A motion is a formal step to introduce a matter for consideration by a group. It is a common concept in the procedure of trade unions, students' unions, corporations, and other deliberative assemblies...
, congratulating Hall on celebrating 40 years in broadcasting. The motion, by former Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
sports spokesman Tom Pendry
Tom Pendry, Baron Pendry
Thomas Pendry, Baron Pendry PC is a Labour politician and member of the House of Lords. He was previously the Labour member of parliament for Stalybridge and Hyde from 1970 to 2001. In 2000, prior to his retirement as an MP he was made a member of the Privy council on the recommendation of Tony...
, says Hall is an "icon with the youth of today" with his football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
reporting on BBC Radio 5 Live.