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Richard Whiteley RIP

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― trappist monkey, Sunday, 26 June 2005 19:36 (twenty years ago)

http://www.channelm.salford.ac.uk/pics/interference/Interference%20interview%20-%20British%20TV%20phenomenon,Richard%20Whiteley,%20on%20the%20set%20of%20Countdown.jpg

― trappist monkey, Sunday, 26 June 2005 19:40 (twenty years ago)

Awwwww shit. Say it ain't so :(

― Taste the Blood of Scrovula (noodle vague), Sunday, 26 June 2005 19:49 (twenty years ago)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4625119.stm

― Tech Support Droid, Sunday, 26 June 2005 19:49 (twenty years ago)

:( .... but his voice will live on forever on track eight on "Fox Base Alpha".

― darren (darren), Sunday, 26 June 2005 19:52 (twenty years ago)

aw damn. :(

R.I.P

― jed_ (jed), Sunday, 26 June 2005 19:59 (twenty years ago)

I can remember watching the start of Channel 4 as a nipper. First show: Countdown.

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Sunday, 26 June 2005 20:02 (twenty years ago)

Ah man, that's put a downer on my evening. He was a legend.

― Craig Gilchrist (Craig Gilchrist), Sunday, 26 June 2005 20:08 (twenty years ago)

For some reason, this is one of the most shocking RIPs of all. Very sad.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Sunday, 26 June 2005 20:10 (twenty years ago)

Damn, another one of the nice guys gone.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Sunday, 26 June 2005 20:14 (twenty years ago)

This sucks.

"I don't normally do requests, unless I'm asked to."

― beanz (beanz), Sunday, 26 June 2005 20:17 (twenty years ago)

shit. RIP

― fcuss3n, Sunday, 26 June 2005 20:20 (twenty years ago)

fucking hell, i really thought this thread would turn out to be a joke.

RIP, richard: you were a true comedy funster.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Sunday, 26 June 2005 20:31 (twenty years ago)

he's making bad puns with the best of them now

― fcuss3n, Sunday, 26 June 2005 20:33 (twenty years ago)

Aw, I read in the paper today he was getting better as well. This is horrible. Part of my TV-watching, puzzling-loving life since 1982.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 26 June 2005 20:58 (twenty years ago)

Strangely irreplacable. :-(

― Chuck_Tatum (Chuck_Tatum), Sunday, 26 June 2005 21:22 (twenty years ago)

That really is a shame. What would have my Higher study period have been without the double whammy of 15 To One and Countdown? A world without his bad puns and garish ties will be a sadder place.
RIP Richard

― Stew (stew s), Sunday, 26 June 2005 21:37 (twenty years ago)

v surprised

RIP

― RJG (RJG), Sunday, 26 June 2005 21:38 (twenty years ago)

I think this is the saddest I've been over a death since Peel. He left a warm, goofily indelible mark on the nation.

Famous moments from his TV career included an on-screen attack by a ferret, and being broadcast in negative - with white hair and a black face.

One of the greatest. RIP.

― Ally C (Ally C), Sunday, 26 June 2005 22:10 (twenty years ago)

So... could any of you quote your favourite bad Whiteley pun to enlighten us non-Brits, please?

― StanM (StanM), Sunday, 26 June 2005 22:13 (twenty years ago)

oh shit, serious?

i liked whitely a lot

i know he liked the booze though, this is a real shame

― charltonlido (gareth), Sunday, 26 June 2005 22:14 (twenty years ago)

this seems so sudden

RIP

― c/n (Cozen), Sunday, 26 June 2005 22:15 (twenty years ago)

I always loved the "I've gone from being twice-nightly Whiteley to once-yearly nearly" gag. I'm not really sure why.

― Ally C (Ally C), Sunday, 26 June 2005 22:23 (twenty years ago)

I knew Richard vaguely, through work, and he was a really nice bloke.
This is very sad.

― Adam Faithless (Adam Faithless), Sunday, 26 June 2005 22:41 (twenty years ago)

Shit.

This has completely sobered me up.

Maybe tomorrow I'll understand why this feels so sad right now.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Sunday, 26 June 2005 23:17 (twenty years ago)

Some choice Whiteley quotes doing the rounds:

"Waxing lyrical with CRAYONS there."

"RODENTS is a mice word."

"Great model that CLOUDIER Schiffer."

"CHORELY some mistake."

"I AORTA seen that."

"You know why you got PYRAMID Martin? It's because you are a clever 'Giza'."

"She studied one language that was found only in the capital of Egypt. Yes, she studied Cairoglyphics."

"OCELOTS. I'd thought you'd like that but not OCELOT"

"The only 2 glands I know are: ENG-ER-GLAND and GLANDS-AROTE."

"STANDEE of course is Jack Dee’s brother."

"Have you heard of Lewis, Carol?"

Contestant: "URINAL." Whiteley: "You did well to get that as there wasn't a P in the selection."

"I often tell people when I started Countdown the alphabet only went up to M."

"And from me, it's check ya later junglist massive, keep it real."

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Monday, 27 June 2005 00:46 (twenty years ago)

To a middle aged lady w/ extremely pendulous breasts: "I'm afraid you get the booby prize" (horrified open-mouthed look from Carol, stunned silence from the audience).

― Masked Gazza, Monday, 27 June 2005 05:04 (twenty years ago)

My brother once met him and repeated one of his puns back to him. "That's very good," Richard Whiteley said. "Are you sure that's one of mine?" Ed assured him that it was one of his and he had heard it several years ago. Richard Whiteley took out a notebook and wrote it down, saying "I should use that one again".

My Mam and my brother both met him and liked him enormously. Apparently he was very fond of attractive ladies.

― accentmonkey (accentmonkey), Monday, 27 June 2005 06:04 (twenty years ago)

In Obit-speak, 'Apparently he was very fond of attractive ladies' = 'he had a huge appetite for life'

― Dave B (daveb), Monday, 27 June 2005 06:15 (twenty years ago)

He sounds great. Rest in peace. Cheers.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Monday, 27 June 2005 06:42 (twenty years ago)

Yes, those examples are great, thanks!

― StanM (StanM), Monday, 27 June 2005 07:12 (twenty years ago)

Pneumonia is a nine letter word.
RIP

― snotty moore, Monday, 27 June 2005 08:28 (twenty years ago)

My mum fancied him rotten.

A Yorkshire TV icon. RIP

― stevo (stevo), Monday, 27 June 2005 08:34 (twenty years ago)

Oh no! Would it be alright with The Bunghole Witches if we dedicate last night's pub quiz victory to his memory?

― Mädchen (Madchen), Monday, 27 June 2005 08:44 (twenty years ago)

http://www.channel4.com/media/entertainment/tv/C/countdown/countdown_SC_TA_nov01.jpg

― Mädchen (Madchen), Monday, 27 June 2005 08:54 (twenty years ago)

what everyone said

r.i.p.

― zebedee (zebedee), Monday, 27 June 2005 10:05 (twenty years ago)

sloblock!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 27 June 2005 10:06 (twenty years ago)

Whiteley was a superb presenter.

Trivia fact:

In 1987 Jon Marsh of The Beloved appeared as a contestant on Channel Four's Countdown game show. He managed to stay on for nine programmes.

This was before Beloved had made it to the top 40 charts, but after The Beloved had a Festive 50 entry in 1985.

Like John Peel, Richard Whiteley made a distinctive impact on British media Culture.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 27 June 2005 10:12 (twenty years ago)

Oh please someone give me a link or something to the ferret video. Please.

― Dan I. (Dan I.), Monday, 27 June 2005 10:20 (twenty years ago)

Jon Marsh of The Beloved appeared as a contestant on Channel Four's Countdown game show

???!!!!!!

back when the beloved were good!

wow.

what will they do for the next series of countdown, though? RW presented it for more than two decades ... that has to be some kind of record. they can't axe it, but i can't think of a single person who could follow in his footsteps.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Monday, 27 June 2005 10:20 (twenty years ago)

Not only the ferret video but the Giant Haystacks' one too!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 27 June 2005 10:22 (twenty years ago)

'Tis pity he was a Tory.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 27 June 2005 10:27 (twenty years ago)

Oh we're not so bad, once you get to know us.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 27 June 2005 10:29 (twenty years ago)

No wonder the ferret attacked him (xpost)

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 27 June 2005 10:32 (twenty years ago)

don't tory it

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 27 June 2005 10:35 (twenty years ago)

I wouldn't labour that pun.

― NickB (NickB), Monday, 27 June 2005 10:39 (twenty years ago)

Consonant please: F
Vowel please: U
And another consonant: C
One more consonant, Carol: K

― NickB (NickB), Monday, 27 June 2005 10:40 (twenty years ago)

The guy from who was The Bevis Frond went on Countdown too - at the end of the show they played some evil industrial version of the countdown theme he'd made to absolutely terrified looks from the old dears in the audience.

Only a couple of days ago I saw that C4 link where they have a list of celebs saying what they'd like to be remembered for and he says he'd like to be remembered as "the first face on Channel 4". He'll be remembered for a lot more than that. A huge loss.

― On one hand I've got myself to blame (Lynskey), Monday, 27 June 2005 10:50 (twenty years ago)

oh come on, he was a bloody gameshow host. it's not like nelson mandela died or something.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 27 June 2005 10:51 (twenty years ago)

Yes but did a ferret (or the Southern African equivalent of same) ever chomp on Nelson's digit on live TV?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 27 June 2005 10:53 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 49 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.
Sociah, thanx for Countdown Riddim! I've seen it on Channel U a couple of times and love it deeply. Cheekiest sample since "Bound 4 Da Reload".

― Taste the Blood of Scrovula (noodle vague), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:26 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, the grime world is really up in arms about this one! The Rwd forums and slsk rooms are filled with tributes. Also Chantelle Fiddy wrote something nice on her blog.

― I'm bad and dirty and going to hell (nordicskilla), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:28 (twenty years ago)

Funny that the grime world have gone for Whitely, whereas Holness was def the gameshow king of sub-Peel 90s indie racket.

http://www.ankst.net/catalog/images/malltodsleeve.jpg

― NickB (NickB), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:34 (twenty years ago)

See also "Yes Please Bob" by Eton Crop.

― NickB (NickB), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:34 (twenty years ago)

Yes, Bob got the student tossers' vote. Richard kept it real.

― Taste the Blood of Scrovula (noodle vague), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

this is a good example of why this place sucks. Richard fucking Whiteley dies and 70% of the RIP thread is people yacking back and forth with Carlin

― fuck all of you, Monday, 27 June 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

George?

― I'm bad and dirty and going to hell (nordicskilla), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:41 (twenty years ago)

Oh lighten up, who are you, his wife? (xpost)

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:42 (twenty years ago)

xx post

Sloblock. I think this is one of the warmest RIP tributes I've seen. And quite whiteley so.

― Taste the Blood of Scrovula (noodle vague), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:53 (twenty years ago)

Most RIP threads are shit.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:54 (twenty years ago)

It's true!

― I'm bad and dirty and going to hell (nordicskilla), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:55 (twenty years ago)

this is a good example of why this place sucks. Richard fucking Whiteley dies and 70% of the RIP thread is people yacking back and forth with Carlin

Yacking back and forth with Carlin is one of the main reasons ILX is worth reading nowadays.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Monday, 27 June 2005 15:27 (twenty years ago)

sicko

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 27 June 2005 15:29 (twenty years ago)

Damn right.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Monday, 27 June 2005 15:30 (twenty years ago)

"Ho ho, that was a most "Marcelloquent" answer. Let's be hoping that you don't "Carl-in" the guards for that one".

― Richard Whiteley's Restless Spirit (Dom Passantino), Monday, 27 June 2005 15:35 (twenty years ago)

God, bloody hell, man. (groans)

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Monday, 27 June 2005 15:41 (twenty years ago)

Oh no!!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Monday, 27 June 2005 19:00 (twenty years ago)

I was watching 'Les Chiffres et Les Nombres' today, the French show which Countdown copies, and their 30 second music is a lot more relaxing than its British equivalent. Perhaps it's because there are so many less words in French than English, so their schoolteachers, retired schoolteachers and students training to be schoolteachers have to think harder without distraction.

― snotty moore, Monday, 27 June 2005 21:45 (twenty years ago)

Do they have to ask for accents in France as well, snotty?

"Accent please, Carolle"

"Grave"

"Bollocks, I needed a circumflex."

― Taste the Blood of Scrovula (noodle vague), Monday, 27 June 2005 21:53 (twenty years ago)

so whiteley was a tory? ach, i'll forgive him (unlike brandreth and coe).

seeing that facist vorderman being interviewed today and being so upset might make me forgive her too. maybe.

whiteley may only have been a gameshow host but he was a northern giant. rip.

― stirmonster (stirmonster), Monday, 27 June 2005 23:55 (twenty years ago)

I've missed something. Why is Carol Vorderman a fascist?

― accentmonkey (accentmonkey), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 05:57 (twenty years ago)

she has spoken pompously in the press about the evils of immigration, the evils of socialism etc. with comments in the nature of: "i might give mr blair five minutes of my time if he's lucky" as if she were, you know, the pope or something, rather than a daytime gameshow host's assistant, hypocritical advertiser of bogus credit loans and third-class maths degree holder who if she'd been 14 stone and had a harelip would never have been seen or heard of again.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 06:24 (twenty years ago)

There is only room for one jumped-up, self-important fascist fuckwit in Marcello's heart.

-- Jerry the Nipper (jerrythenippe...), June 27th, 2005.

Whereas in IPC Media there is no room for real writers, but plenty of room for corporate AOL/Time Warner lickarses. Knoworrimean, Steve?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 28 June 2005 06:25 (twenty years ago)

caught carol's introduction to this week's shows (was on the end of the matinee i taped) and she could hardly speak, poor thing. show proper started and there's Richard 'welcome to the final week of countdown' (dramatic pause) 'for this series'. little did he know...

― koogs (koogs), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 08:51 (twenty years ago)

well the final week he'd be in it anyway. i'm sure that after a decent period of veiling the show will be back with ned sherrin or maybe even marti webb presenting.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 08:56 (twenty years ago)

I was wathicng Basement Jaxx when my mate turned to me and said "I've just got a text saying Richard WHiteley's dead." We all thought it was a GlastoRumour until we got back to the tents and confirmed.

This is poor, very poor.

However, I've discovered some interesting gossip about Voorderman, which I will keep in reserve and unleash for maximum effect at a later date.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 09:31 (twenty years ago)

show proper started and there's Richard 'welcome to the final week of countdown' (dramatic pause) 'for this series'. little did he know...

..and then he launched into a joke about some man who knows the exact time and place of when and where he will die. It's rather odd.

A friend of mine did make the point that there'll be a whole load of little old ladies watching who don't bother with newspapers or TV news and would be really shocked when they see Carol pop up at the beginning of the show to tell them that Richard's dead.

Then get even more confused WHEN HE APPEARS 30 SECONDS LATER AND CARRIES ON AS NORMAL.

Also, they've changed the Countdown music since the last time I saw it.

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 23:13 (twenty years ago)

to the grime track i hope.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Wednesday, 29 June 2005 23:17 (twenty years ago)

There's an interview with Carol on the BBC website - over 7 mins long and I'm amazed she survived it. She looked terrible.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Thursday, 30 June 2005 06:41 (twenty years ago)

This is really sad, last ten minutes of the show.

Just thought if the shows with guest presenters have already been recorded, they'll have to cut out all the "get well, Richard" bits.

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Friday, 1 July 2005 13:51 (twenty years ago)

Aw, it was a great final though! TWO crucial conundrums! Raa!

And that little tribute show afterwards was lovely, I thought it might be quite sad but I was actually crying with laughter most of the way through it. Good old Richard.

― JimD (JimD), Friday, 1 July 2005 14:32 (twenty years ago)

tribute shows before and after countdown this afternoon (had the day off). more to him, as usual, than you'd think. also showed a little bit of interview of him talking about the ferret thing - 'when i die it won't say 'tv journalist died' or 'daytime quiz host dead', it'll say 'ferret man dead'' part of me wishes one of the papers had used exactly that.

also: 'how dutch is that moggy in the window?'

― koogs (koogs), Friday, 1 July 2005 21:56 (twenty years ago)

people who make crap puns shouldn't die :(

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 1 July 2005 21:59 (twenty years ago)

'how dutch is that moggy in the window?'

I know! Easily the funniest thing I've seen on telly this year! :D

― JimD (JimD), Friday, 1 July 2005 23:53 (twenty years ago)

part of me wishes one of the papers had used exactly that.

Apparently one of the local newspapers in Yorkshire did...

― James Mitchell (James Mitchell), Saturday, 2 July 2005 00:34 (twenty years ago)

i was dj'ing in north yorkshire tonight and played the countdown theme at the start of my set (i extended it by two minutes). it was easily the high point of the night. i think mr. whiteley's death hit me harder than it should have because my dearly departed dad was also one of the world's worst punsters and whitely always reminds me of him.

― stirmonster (stirmonster), Saturday, 2 July 2005 02:09 (twenty years ago)

sorry!
ihttp://mymail.graffiti.net/scripts/mail/getattch.mail?folder=INBOX&msg_uid=1120216616&partsno=1

― not-goodwin (not-goodwin), Saturday, 2 July 2005 13:01 (twenty years ago)

bugger didn't work.

― not-goodwin (not-goodwin), Saturday, 2 July 2005 13:02 (twenty years ago)

what?

― StanM (StanM), Monday, 4 July 2005 18:25 (twenty years ago)

it'll say 'ferret man dead'' part of me wishes one of the papers had used exactly that

the sun did, with the subdeck "we give richard the headline he wanted" or something. not sure it worked, but it was quite sweet.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Monday, 4 July 2005 21:04 (twenty years ago)

What were Richard Whiteley's last words?
"Can I have a valve please Carol?"

― Circulated e-mails by office joker (Dom Passantino), Monday, 4 July 2005 21:18 (twenty years ago)

two weeks pass...
Countdown to continue with another presenter, Carol says.

― StanM (StanM), Sunday, 24 July 2005 14:02 (twenty years ago)

four weeks pass...
Buy one of his ties for charity (?)

― StanM (StanM), Tuesday, 23 August 2005 11:36 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...
Lynam?!

Hmm.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Friday, 23 September 2005 16:50 (twenty years ago)

weird

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 23 September 2005 16:54 (twenty years ago)

It makes sense to me. I expected Brandreth or similar.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Friday, 23 September 2005 16:57 (twenty years ago)

This is news?

― Mädchen (Madchen), Friday, 23 September 2005 17:04 (twenty years ago)

Not really. I heard about it a while ago.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Friday, 23 September 2005 17:07 (twenty years ago)

smug wank

― jed_ (jed), Friday, 23 September 2005 18:31 (twenty years ago)

I thought the revival would be because his ashes were being fired from a cannon.

― Cristal Waters (nordicskilla), Friday, 23 September 2005 18:34 (twenty years ago)


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