Lost Letters

Bob Holness became a household name hosting the game show Blockbusters. But while young contestants struggled with the questions, Bob had his own difficulties to face as Gabrielle Fagan found out.

There are some TV programmes that the nation takes to its heart and Blockbusters, the teenage quiz show, must be one of its favourites. It turned presenter Bob Holness, then dubbed TV's Mr Nice Guy, into a cult figure for a generation of students. Contestants chose a series of letters as part of the format for the afternoon general knowledge quiz and the request 'Give me a p, Bob!" became a humorous catchphrase.

But while the questions were testing for the youngsters Bob reveals that during the show's successful 11-year run he began experiencing his own personal challenge which could recently have ended his career.

Bob, 77, talking at his London home, revealed his struggle with distressing hearing loss and the pioneering technology that has saved it, while also reminiscing about a remarkable 52-year show business career. He may be best remembered as the genial, impeccably dressed game show host but there is so much more to this modestly charming man. He's a recognised authority on popular music, is one of the most distinctive voices on radio, and has worked on many prestigious news and current affairs programmes. He says smiling: "I suppose you could say I've done everything from being a DJ during the Sixties and interviewing people like the Beatles, to helping to launch Radio 2 and having my own show. My career in television has been wonderfully varied. It's been hard work but such fun."

He began his career unseen as the first James Bond on radio in South Africa, where he'd emigrated after growing up in Kent and doing National Service. While working as a reporter he was chosen from thousands to take the role of the famous agent for an adaptation of Moonraker. Returning to Britain in the early Sixties he joined Granada hosting 'Take A Letter', and children's favourites 'Junior Criss Cross Quiz', as well as radio's 'Top of the Form'.

However, it was Blockbusters, offering for those times spectacular prizes such as trips to America and Europe, that eventually made him an enduring household name. Bob recalls: "Blockbusters, which began in the Eighties, was my favourite time in television. Its success was such a huge and pleasant shock because no-one ever predicted it. In fact everyone scoffed at the show when it first was mooted and for the first few screenings."

"They had to fight even to get it a teatime slot but in the event that was ideal. Its appeal was to all ages, from older children who'd just got in from school to parents and grandparents. I think that's what caused its success - it really was true family entertainment."

Bob, a devoted father himself of two daughters and a son, was a natural with the youngsters aged 16-18 whom he encouraged so they coped with screen nerves. "I never patronised or talked down to them. For their part they totally entered into the competitive but fun spirit of the show."

Bob skilfully steered the programme to mass appeal. It ran from 1982-1993 and won five British Academy Award nominations for Best Children's programme and was twice voted TV Times Readers Favourite Game Show.

Prior to that he was one of the presenters who helped to launch BBC's new Radio 2 music station. He also featured in a catalogue of hit television programmes spanning three decades including World in Action, co-presenting the daily news programme, Today, with Eamonn Andrews, as well as a host of appearances on light entertainment shows such Give Us A Clue, and Noel Edmond's House Party. Today Bob, who was the urbane chairman of BBC1s, Call My Bluff says: "I've never wanted to retire, although my hearing problem was in danger of forcing that."

It was towards the end of Blockbusters 11-year run that Bob, in his early sixties, starting unknowingly to suffer the hearing problems that would dog him. "At first, I kept thinking that some of the young contestants weren't speaking loudly enough, and occasionally I had to ask them to repeat their answers. Often they were emotional and even crying as they spoke especially if they were on a 'gold run' which won them top prizes like a holiday abroad. Obviously that could make them difficult to understand so I constantly put it down to them rather than me."

"It's incredible. I started using it a few months ago and I've noticed a tremendous improvement in my hearing almost immediately."

As the years went by Bob, in common with many people of his age group - particularly men - found the symptoms of hearing loss increasing in severity. Currently 75 per cent of those with hearing loss are aged 60 or over. The Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) estimates a total of nine million people in the UK are hard of hearing.

For Bob the hearing problems were personally poignant because apart from the effect on his family life: "I've always found it so touching that people have never forgotten the programme and I still have everyone from taxi drivers to little old ladies or even children good humouredly shouting the catchphrase in the street when they see me.

"But latterly if my back was turned to them I wouldn't turn around and acknowledge that because I simply didn't hear them. It felt as though someone had turned the volume down on my hearing."

As the problem increasingly cast it's shadow over his life making having conversations, socialising and working difficult, Bob was despairing until he heard about a new type of hearing aid. Acuris, made by Siemens Hearing Instruments, is the first to tell the patient the direction from which the noise is coming. It uses the smallest radio in the world to allow the two gadgets to communicate subtly by altering noise levels in each ear. By comparison, most hearing aids either amplify the sound or filter out background noise. It can make it difficult to tell where noise is coming from and as a result it's easy to become very disorientated.

Bob says: "It's incredible. I started using it a few months ago and I've noticed a tremendous improvement in my hearing almost immediately." He and his wife, Mary Rose, have seven grandchildren, and now he's once again enjoying social occasions with them. "It's lovely to feel comfortable even when I'm in noisy social gatherings, and a relief to my family that I'm not constantly asking them to repeat what they've said. "I feel I'm back to my old self and that I've found the right answer for my hearing problems. Hopefully I'll carry on hearing that catchphrase for a long time to come."

Acuris starts from £1,850 and can be worn as one monaural hearing aid with an upgrade to the full system depending on a patient's requirements. It is not yet available on the NHS.

For information: Call 01293 423 789 or www.siemens.co.uk/hearing