38 Facts About Bamber Gascoigne

Bamber Gascoigne was the original quizmaster of University Challenge, which initially ran from 1962 to 1987.

Bamber Gascoigne was the elder son of Lieutenant-Colonel Derek Ernest Frederick Orby Gascoigne by his marriage in 1934 to Mary Louisa Hermione O'Neill.

Bamber Gascoigne was educated at Sunningdale School in Berkshire before successively winning scholarships to Eton College and to Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he read English literature.

Bamber Gascoigne initially wanted to become an actor, but found it tiresome to play the same part for more than a week, so instead turned to writing.

Bamber Gascoigne then spent a year as a Commonwealth Fund scholar at Yale University.

Bamber Gascoigne carried out his National Service in the Grenadier Guards, including six months of duty at Buckingham Palace, before being posted to Germany.

Bamber Gascoigne met his wife, Christina Ditchburn, at Cambridge, and they married in 1965.

Bamber Gascoigne's family were originally Norman, arriving in England in the early 13th century.

Bamber Gascoigne's father was the son of Brigadier-General Sir Ernest Frederick Orby Gascoigne and Laura Cicely, daughter of General Edward Henry Clive, of that family of Styche Hall, Shropshire, from which came the soldier and administrator of India Robert Clive.

Bamber Gascoigne's great-grandfathers included Robert Crewe-Milnes, 1st Marquess of Crewe, and Edward O'Neill, 2nd Baron O'Neill.

Bamber Gascoigne was a nephew of Sir Julian Gascoigne, who was in charge of the Household Division during the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and of Terence O'Neill, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.

Bamber Gascoigne was the original presenter of the television quiz show University Challenge, based on the US series College Bowl.

Bamber Gascoigne held the position for 25 years, until the end of the initial run in 1987.

Bamber Gascoigne's questioning manner was regarded as firm yet polite.

In 1998, Bamber Gascoigne presented a parody titled Universe Challenge, based on the sci-fi comedy series Red Dwarf.

Bamber Gascoigne is portrayed by actor Mark Gatiss in the 2006 comedy-drama film Starter for 10 and by Robert Portal in the 2024 stage musical adaptation.

Bamber Gascoigne was the author of Murgatreud's Empire, a 1972 satirical novel concerning an entrepreneur who finds an island of pygmies and trades them arms for treasure, recreating the development of European medieval weaponry and armour.

In 1977, Bamber Gascoigne wrote and presented The Christians, a 13-hour television documentary series on the history of Christianity, produced by Granada Television and broadcast on ITV.

Bamber Gascoigne wrote Quest for the Golden Hare, a 1983 account of the internationally publicised treasure hunt associated with the publication in 1979 of Kit Williams' book Masquerade.

On 8 August 1979, Bamber Gascoigne was witness to the burial by Williams, in an earthenware jar "somewhere in Britain", of a unique jewelled, solid gold pendant in the design of a hare.

In 1987, Bamber Gascoigne presented a documentary series of six 30-minute programmes on Victorian history, Victorian Values, produced by Granada Television.

In 1988, Bamber Gascoigne devised and presented a BBC Two arts quiz called Connoisseur, for which he set the questions.

Bamber Gascoigne was the writer and presenter of the TV series The Great Moghuls, a study of the Mughal Empire of India.

Bamber Gascoigne established an online history encyclopaedia, HistoryWorld, based on British history.

Bamber Gascoigne had already published a hard copy of this encyclopaedia, but he saw the internet as an opportunity to reach millions more people than would see the book.

Bamber Gascoigne established TimeSearch, which presents multiple searchable timelines collected from various websites.

Bamber Gascoigne was a lifelong supporter of the Liberal Party and subsequently the Liberal Democrats.

Bamber Gascoigne publicly endorsed the latter during their 2019 general election campaign.

Bamber Gascoigne sold some of the late Duchess's possessions and used the proceeds to restore the house.

Bamber Gascoigne was elected in 1976 as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Bamber Gascoigne was a trustee of the National Gallery, a trustee of the Tate Gallery, a member of the council of the National Trust, and a member of the board of directors of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

Bamber Gascoigne was a patron of the Museum of Richmond.

Bamber Gascoigne was married, for 57 years, to Christina, daughter of civil servant Alfred Henry Ditchburn.

Bamber Gascoigne is an artist working in ceramics, silks and other media.

Bamber Gascoigne was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2018 Birthday Honours for services to the Arts.

In January 2022, Bamber Gascoigne was hospitalised for three weeks with pneumonia.

Bamber Gascoigne died at his home in Richmond on 8 February 2022, at the age of 87.

Stephen Fry, another famous University Challenge alumnus, led the tributes to Bamber Gascoigne, saying he was "such an elegant, intelligent man".