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William Davis: 'Pioneering' ex-BBC journalist dies aged 85 | William Davis: 'Pioneering' ex-BBC journalist dies aged 85 |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Former BBC broadcaster and journalist William Davis has died, after heart failure, aged 85. | |
Following a successful career in Fleet Street, he joined the BBC and became a presenter on The World At One and also edited satirical magazine Punch. | Following a successful career in Fleet Street, he joined the BBC and became a presenter on The World At One and also edited satirical magazine Punch. |
Born in Germany, he moved at the age of 16 to the UK where he changed his name and became a British citizen. | Born in Germany, he moved at the age of 16 to the UK where he changed his name and became a British citizen. |
His daughter, Jacki, described him as a "self-made man" who had a passion to have champagne with everything. | His daughter, Jacki, described him as a "self-made man" who had a passion to have champagne with everything. |
During an appearance on the BBC's Desert Island Discs, he described his childhood growing up in Germany during World War Two as "very grim". | During an appearance on the BBC's Desert Island Discs, he described his childhood growing up in Germany during World War Two as "very grim". |
He said the "horrifying experience" of being bombed made him "grateful for the good things that have happened to me". | He said the "horrifying experience" of being bombed made him "grateful for the good things that have happened to me". |
Davis said that when he first arrived in the UK, it was difficult, with a "great deal of hostility towards anything German" so he pretended to be Austrian. | Davis said that when he first arrived in the UK, it was difficult, with a "great deal of hostility towards anything German" so he pretended to be Austrian. |
He worked at various national newspaper titles including the Financial Times, the London Evening Standard as City editor, and at the Guardian as financial editor. | |
Before becoming one of The World At One's first presenters alongside William Hardcastle, he had helped develop, launch and present BBC Two's The Money Programme. | |
Speaking in 2016, Davis said the current affairs show sometimes "made the news, not just reported it." | |
"We knew we had it made when (former prime minister) Harold Wilson phoned up, personally, to complain about something Bill or I had said on the programme," he said. | |
"That week we all said 'that's it - we've arrived'." | |
In 1968, the Hanover-born journalist became editor of one of the nation's best-known satirical magazines. | In 1968, the Hanover-born journalist became editor of one of the nation's best-known satirical magazines. |
"He was very proud of editing Punch because he thought it was very funny that a little German boy had become the editor of the most quintessentially British institution you could think of," Jacki said. | "He was very proud of editing Punch because he thought it was very funny that a little German boy had become the editor of the most quintessentially British institution you could think of," Jacki said. |
Offered Thatcher advice | |
She added: "Of his generation of journalists, he was genuinely pioneering and innovative, he was never content to do it the way it had always been done." | She added: "Of his generation of journalists, he was genuinely pioneering and innovative, he was never content to do it the way it had always been done." |
She said her father had been a "great admirer" of Baroness Thatcher and gave the former Conservative prime minister advice from "time to time". | She said her father had been a "great admirer" of Baroness Thatcher and gave the former Conservative prime minister advice from "time to time". |
"He would go and see her in Number 10 and give her advice, talking really about how you frame the message, it was really communications advice". | "He would go and see her in Number 10 and give her advice, talking really about how you frame the message, it was really communications advice". |
During a lengthy career, Davis also launched in-flight British Airways magazine High Life and became chairman of the British Tourist Authority and English Tourist Board. | During a lengthy career, Davis also launched in-flight British Airways magazine High Life and became chairman of the British Tourist Authority and English Tourist Board. |
He wrote a wide variety of books. | He wrote a wide variety of books. |
Davis died at his home in Cannes, southern France, on Saturday. | |
Davis, whose son Simon died at a young age, is survived by his wife Sylvette, daughters Sue and Jacki, and his two grandchildren Lucinda and William. | Davis, whose son Simon died at a young age, is survived by his wife Sylvette, daughters Sue and Jacki, and his two grandchildren Lucinda and William. |