One of telly's greatest
Most famous for presenting BBC’s ground breaking current affairs programme Tonight from 1957 to 1965, in his unflappable style (broadcast in monochrome – it would be 1967 before colour television).
He also anchored coverage of events including the Apollo moon landing (1969), two General Elections, being live on air when news broke that John F Kennedy was assassinated (1963), and more heartbreakingly covering the 1966 Aberfan slag heap disaster in Wales.
I’m also old enough to remember Cliff co-hosting Family Favourites on BBC steam radio with his wife Jean Metcalfe, to the opening tune of With a song in my heart. RIP, Cliff.
Ken Johnson