Bob Holness
Biography
Robert Wentworth John Holness started in showbiz as a DJ and actor in his country of birth, South Africa, which he returned to after a traditional English schooling. He was the second actor to play James Bond, in a radio adaptation of Moonraker, but everyone knows him as the host of Blockbusters.
His presenting style is authoratative without being stuffy - he'll rarely crack a joke, but will happily play along with other people's. He would especially do so with those of Alan Coren and Sandi Toksvig on 'Call My Bluff' - indeed, Sandi would often get him to play a part in a mini-play she had written to help define a certain word.
Trivia
One or two people were caught out by a Stuart Maconie joke in the NME claiming that our Bob played the saxophone solo on Gerry Rafferty's hit Baker Street. Probably no more than one or two, though.
However, he does have some musical offspring. His daughter Ros was in Toto Coelo (of I Eat Cannibals "fame") and his other daughter Carol recorded under the name Nancy Nova.
Bob suffered a severe stroke in 2002, but has since made a good recovery.
And for anyone wanting to know the name of that hand-puppet he brings out from time to time, it's Harold the Hedgehog.
Bob once revealed on 'Blockbusters' that he is not related to the ventriloquist (and fellow quiz-host) Ray Alan, even though the two bear a strong physical resemblance.
He was clearly involved with Radio One in one way or another when it started in 1967: he was in the famous picture of all the stars who were on it at the time, although not as prominently as the likes of Jimmy Young, Pete Murray and Tony Blackburn.
