Magpie's Tony Bastable has died

[Lorne.t]

Didn't notice this anywhere yesterday...

"Tony Bastable, one of the original presenters of ITV kid's show Magpie, has died aged 62.

The popular magazine show, made by Thames Television, began in 1968 and was seen as an alternative to the BBC's Blue Peter.

Bastable presented the show with Susan Stranks and Pete Brady until 1972, when he became a TV producer. Magpie continued with a variety of new presenters until 1980.

Having suffered from emphysema in recent years, Bastable died from pneumonia at East Surrey Hospital. Fond of cricket, he ran a team in Surrey called 'The Magpies.' "

One for sorrow....

[Euler]

Aww - I'm learning to drive at the moment and he presents some of the training DVD I have been given. Yes - all very 70s fashion.

RIP.

[Whizzer]

Aww - I'm learning to drive at the moment and he presents some of the training DVD I have been given. Yes - all very 70s fashion.

RIP.

I'm a little too young to remember him from his Magpie days. But I do remember him as host of a 4 hour Learner Driving video which was produced in the mid 80's. I was given a copy of it back in 1989. I still have it on video(I think so anyway). It's great. I haven't watched it for many years now but I may dig it out and watch again(all 4 hours of it in a single viewing session). It's interesting to see how the cars and transportation vehicles were back then(none of these super sleak stuff you get nowadays) and the fashions and hairstyles of the people involved in the film, plus the cheesy 70's/80's presentation style of the film. As a nostalgia freak, I would enjoy watching this again. Anyone else remember this video too?

[AndyWilson]

He was my hero when I was about 11 :(


..but then so was Gary Glitter...