Television presenter Sir Robin Day: self-styled "Grand Inquisitor" who pioneered the art of interrogating politicians
Sir Robin Day, one of Britain's foremost broadcasters, has died suddenly at the age of 76, after a short illness, it was announced yesterday. He died on Sunday at the Wellington Hospital in St John's Wood, north London.
The self-styled "Grand Inquisitor" pioneered the art of interrogating politicians and his stewardship of the BBC political debate programme Question Time made it one of the most popular programmes on television.
The chief executive of the Wellington Hospital said: "He had been in for a few days for an investigation into a cardiac condition. He died very peacefully at 9 p.m. His family weren't with him but his consultant was."
Baroness Thatcher, who once told Sir Robin during a lively interview that it was her job to stop him asking awkward questions, said: "Sir Robin Day single-handedly pioneered modern political interviewing, and he excelled at it. Our paths often crossed and I always enjoyed the joust. He was tough and relentless.
"But he was also fair, witty and gracious. His death leaves British political life blander and poorer."
It was as a robust interviewer during his 10 years on Question Time between 1979 and 1989 and on the documentary series Panorama, that he earned his reputation as an outstanding broadcaster.
He was a celebrated and feared journalist, whose fierce intelligence often exposed the shortcomings of the politicians he was interviewing.
However, Sir Robin, usually wearing one of his flamboyant bow ties, was careful not to humiliate the interviewee and he was admired for his boisterous style.
In a famous exchange with Lady Thatcher when she was prime minister, Sir Robin asked her if she intended to sack one of her ministers.
She replied: "You are going further than I wish to go." Sir Robin said: "Well, naturally, that's part of my job, Prime Minister." But Mrs Thatcher added: "Yes, indeed. It's part of my job to try to stop you."
He was born in 1923 and studied law at Oxford University. He served in the British Army from 1943 to 1947 and when he came back to Britain he stood for the Bar. At the age of 30 he left Britain and went to the US where he worked for the British Information Services in Washington.
When he returned to Britain he became one of the first newscasters at ITN and he was parliamentary correspondent from 1956 to 1959.
One of his former colleagues at the BBC, the broadcaster, John Humphrys, described Sir Robin as "the father of the modern political interview. At his best there was simply nobody better. He was well informed, he was incisive . . . For better or worse, people like Paxman and me have a great deal to be grateful to him for."