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| Stuart Hall: life and times | Stuart Hall: life and times |
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| Stuart Hall has been a prominent figure in British broadcasting for more than half a century and, prior to being accused of sexual abuse, had achieved national treasure status among sports fans. | Stuart Hall has been a prominent figure in British broadcasting for more than half a century and, prior to being accused of sexual abuse, had achieved national treasure status among sports fans. |
| A Mancunian by birth, Hall joined the BBC in 1959, working as a general reporter then sports journalist. A lifelong supporter of Manchester City, he previously turned down the chance to play football for Crystal Palace, claiming the money they had offered him at the age of 16 – £20 a week and £10 in the summer – was not enough to live on. "I just thought, there's better money to be made than for kicking a football about," he told the Guardian in 2003. | A Mancunian by birth, Hall joined the BBC in 1959, working as a general reporter then sports journalist. A lifelong supporter of Manchester City, he previously turned down the chance to play football for Crystal Palace, claiming the money they had offered him at the age of 16 – £20 a week and £10 in the summer – was not enough to live on. "I just thought, there's better money to be made than for kicking a football about," he told the Guardian in 2003. |
| He went on to become one of Britain's best-known regional broadcasters, co-presenting the BBC's regional TV news programmes for the north-west from 1965 until 1990. "I was in there, Slack Alice and the other fleshpots; we had nightclubs here to rival Las Vegas. And Bestie was its hub. We'd rouster till dawn," he told the Telegraph in 2009. | He went on to become one of Britain's best-known regional broadcasters, co-presenting the BBC's regional TV news programmes for the north-west from 1965 until 1990. "I was in there, Slack Alice and the other fleshpots; we had nightclubs here to rival Las Vegas. And Bestie was its hub. We'd rouster till dawn," he told the Telegraph in 2009. |
| But the turning point in his career came in 1972 when he became the host of the BBC's popular game show It's a Knockout. The programme involved teams representing a town or city competing in absurd games, often dressed in large foam costumes on giant, slippery inflatables. | But the turning point in his career came in 1972 when he became the host of the BBC's popular game show It's a Knockout. The programme involved teams representing a town or city competing in absurd games, often dressed in large foam costumes on giant, slippery inflatables. |
| The weekly showdowns and absurd antics became synonymous with Hall, whose laughter at the hapless contestants made him one of the most impersonated voices on television. He hosted the programme until the end of its run in 1990 and reprised the role when ITV broadcast it from 1991 to 1994. | The weekly showdowns and absurd antics became synonymous with Hall, whose laughter at the hapless contestants made him one of the most impersonated voices on television. He hosted the programme until the end of its run in 1990 and reprised the role when ITV broadcast it from 1991 to 1994. |
| His career did not end with the show. He subsequently became a football commentator on Radio 5 Live and gained a cult following for using erudite language, including Shakespearean quotes, during match reports. Hall has revelled in his reputation as a bon viveur and claimed to have coined the phrase "the beautiful game" to describe one of his football heroes, former Man City player Peter Doherty. | His career did not end with the show. He subsequently became a football commentator on Radio 5 Live and gained a cult following for using erudite language, including Shakespearean quotes, during match reports. Hall has revelled in his reputation as a bon viveur and claimed to have coined the phrase "the beautiful game" to describe one of his football heroes, former Man City player Peter Doherty. |
| Yet he has routinely and jokingly claimed that he regards himself as little more than "a second-rate provincial hack". "I have wasted my life in every direction, really. I've made underachieving an achievement," he told the Guardian. | Yet he has routinely and jokingly claimed that he regards himself as little more than "a second-rate provincial hack". "I have wasted my life in every direction, really. I've made underachieving an achievement," he told the Guardian. |
| It was not a view widely shared, and in 1999 a Commons motion was signed by 50 MPs congratulated Hall on 40 years of broadcasting. | It was not a view widely shared, and in 1999 a Commons motion was signed by 50 MPs congratulated Hall on 40 years of broadcasting. |
| The father of two's status seemed secure in 2011 when he was the subject of a two-hour Radio 5 Live tribute and in December was awarded an OBE in the Queen's new year honours list. | The father of two's status seemed secure in 2011 when he was the subject of a two-hour Radio 5 Live tribute and in December was awarded an OBE in the Queen's new year honours list. |
| But his broadcasting career was left in limbo after accusations of historic sexual offences between the 1960s and 1980s, and the BBC suspended him from his Radio 5 Live post in December 2012. | But his broadcasting career was left in limbo after accusations of historic sexual offences between the 1960s and 1980s, and the BBC suspended him from his Radio 5 Live post in December 2012. |
| Hall said he might have considered suicide had it not been for the support of his family. He described the accusations as "pernicious, callous, cruel and, above all, spurious" as he vowed to clear his name and restore his reputation. | Hall said he might have considered suicide had it not been for the support of his family. He described the accusations as "pernicious, callous, cruel and, above all, spurious" as he vowed to clear his name and restore his reputation. |
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