Cliff Michelmore

Arthur Clifford "Cliff" Michelmore (born 11 December 1919) is a British television presenter and producer. He is best known for the BBC television programme Tonight, which he presented from 1957 to 1965. He also hosted the BBC's television coverage of the Apollo moon landings, the Aberfan disaster, the 1966 and 1970 UK general elections and the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales in 1969. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1969.

Early life and broadcasting career

Michelmore was born in Cowes, Isle of Wight, and attended Cowes High School, Loughborough College and Leicester College of Technology and Art. He was a squadron leader in the Royal Air Force during World War II and began broadcasting on British Forces Network radio. After the war he worked for BBC Radio and television as a freelance sports commentator, then as a news reporter and as a producer of children's programmes, including All Your Own.

On 4 March 1950 he married Jean Metcalfe, a BBC announcer, who presented Two-Way Family Favourites in London while he was presenting the Hamburg link in the programme for the British Forces Broadcasting Service. The two did not meet face to face for six months, but after meeting they were quickly engaged and married. Cliff called it 'love at first hearing'.^[1] They had a daughter, actress Jenny Michelmore, and a son, broadcaster and composer Guy Michelmore, both of whom have children.

From 1955 to 1957 Michelmore presented the BBC TV programme Highlight, a current affairs show with a reputation for uncompromising interviews. On 18 February 1957 he became anchorman for BBC Television's new topical weekday magazine show Tonight, which ran for eight years and attracted 8 million viewers at its peak. He was named BAFTA Television Personality of the Year in 1958.^[2]

When Tonight finished in 1965, Michelmore hosted a BBC One series called 24 Hours^[3] until 1968. In 1967 he presented Our World, a worldwide TV broadcast that was the first to use time satellite communication extensively in an attempt to "connect the whole world by television".^[4] The programme featured a performance by the Beatles of their song "All You Need Is Love". Michelmore recalls^{[citation needed]} that the song was at least partly inspired by the Our World logo, a chain of figures holding hands around the world.

After leaving full-time television work, Michelmore became head of EMI's new video division. He was a regular presenter on BBC 1's Holiday programme from 1969 to 1986, and has presented other shows for BBC TV, ITV and BBC Radio.

Michelmore has retired from TV presenting, although he returned to the BBC on 18 November 2007 to introduce a programme on the BBC Parliament channel, recalling the 1967 devaluation of the pound. As of 2013 he lives in South Harting, Sussex.

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