Hall: hosts awards next month
Journalist, raconteur, television presenter and radio personality Stuart Hall will host the Regional Press Awards in Manchester next month.
He is perhaps the only sports journalist to have had his career recognised in the Houses of Parliament. Five years ago, as he celebrated his 40th year as a broadcaster, more than 50 MPs signed a House of Commons motion congratulating him on the achievement.
The motion, put forward by former Labour sports spokesman Tom Pendry, described Hall as an “icon with the youth of today” for his colourful and image-laden football reporting on BBC Radio 5 Live. “His rich mellifluous voice is redolent of Sinden and Gielgud intertwining Shakespeare, Keats, Wordsworth et al amid the mud and tears at Accrington Stanley”.
Hall’s career began as a sports journalist and newsreader for BBC North.
As presenter of North West Tonight he became familiar to viewers throughout the north of England.
He shot to national prominence in the Seventies when his infectious laughter as presenter of It’s A Knockout, a game show featuring contestants wearing outlandish and oversized costumes, helped make it a huge hit.
He has presented programmes on subjects ranging from sports, art and politics to quizzes, for both the BBC and commercial television.
The Regional Press Awards celebrates the achievements of journalists and editors on weekly, daily and Sunday newspapers across the country.
Shortlists for the individual journalist’s categories will be published on www.pressgazette.co.uk on Friday 4 June. All shortlists will be published in the magazine next week.
The awards lunch is at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium on Friday 9 July. For table sales call Andrea Hayes on 020 8565 3056 or e-mail andreah@quantumbusinessmedia.com
By Ian Reeves
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