Freddie Grisewood

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Frederick Henry Grisewood, known as Freddie Grisewood (11 April 1888–15 November 1972) was a British broadcaster, who had a long and varied career with the BBC. He was perhaps best known for being the host of Any Questions? from its inception in 1948 until 1967.

Grisewood was educated at Radley College, and later at Magdalen College, University of Oxford.^[1]

He first worked for the BBC as an announcer in 1929. In 1932, the Daily Express published his name, along with those of several of his fellow announcers; before that date the BBC had required them to maintain on-air anonymity.^[2]

He was the commentator for the first-ever televised broadcast of a tennis match at Wimbledon, on 21 June 1937.^[3]

Grisewood was a good cricketer, and played one first-class match: for Worcestershire against Oxford University at The University Parks in June 1908. Although Worcestershire won the game by the wide margin of 332 runs, Grisewood made no significant personal contribution to his side's victory: he scored 1 and 6 not out, and neither bowled nor held a catch.^[4] Despite having played against his university at first-class level, he never appeared for it.^[1]

Grisewood was born in Daylesford, Worcestershire; he died aged 84 in Grayshott, Hampshire.