RUSSELL HARTYFew television personalities were as ever-present on British television screens in the 1970s and ’80s as Russell Harty who died on 8 June, 1988, aged 53.
During a broadcasting career cut tragically short, Mr Harty interviewed celebrities from all walks of public life and his relaxed and neighbourly style elicited some infamous responses.
Pop diva Grace Jones slapped him for turning to another guest and Boy George famously confessed to preferring a nice cup of tea to sex.
Mr Harty’sdistinctive delivery and flat, Northern vowels made him a target for impressionistswho often picked up onhis trademarkphrase – “you are, are you not?”.Frederic Russell Harty was born in Blackburn, Lancashire, on 5 September, 1934 – his family were hard-working and successful greengrocers.
He was educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Blackburn before going to Exeter College, Oxford, where he read English – one of his contemporaries at Oxford was playwright, Alan Bennett, who became a lifelong friend.
After graduating he worked as an English and drama teacher at Giggleswick School in North Yorkshire where one of his pupils was Richard Whiteley who later became the hugely successful presenter of the quiz show Countdown.
In 1967 he became a producer with the BBC Third programme making arts and books programmes.
In 1969 he moved to London Weekend Television where he presented the Saturday night arts series Aquarius with some success – his bizarre interview with Salvador Dali is widely regarded as a television classic.
In 1972 he was given his own series, Russell Harty Plus, on ITV during which he conducted in-depth celebrity interviews – he won a Pye award for the outstanding new personality of the year.
The series continued until 1981 and Mr Harty moved to the BBC in 1983 where he hosted an early evening talk show which ran until 1985.
He began making Russell Harty’s Grand Tour for the BBC in 1987 and at the same time was presenting Start the Week on BBC radio and writing a weekly column for The Sunday Times.
Mr Harty never hid his homosexuality and had been in a stable and happy relationship with novelist Jamie O’Neill since 1982.
His heavyworkload left him exhausted when hepatitis struck.
Mr Harty was adored by the public and by his wide circle of loyal friends who cherished his outrageous and self-deprecatory humour. As his friend Alan Bates said: “One laughed more helplessly with him than anyone else I know.”
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