BBC sports anchor David Vine dies at 73

Published on Monday 12 January 2009 23:17

THE veteran sports broadcaster David Vine has died of a heart attack. He was 73.

He fronted a huge list of shows, including Match Of The Day, Grandstand, Ski Sunday and BBC coverage of Wimbledon and the Olympics, as well as It's A Knock Out, Miss World and the Eurovision Song Contest. He also hosted Quiz Ball and A Question of Sport.

Vine, who celebrated his birthday this month, died on Sunday night at his home near Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire. He had triple heart bypass surgery several years ago.

His publicist, Paul Madeley, said that, since his retirement, Vine had remained working as a consultant for the BBC.

He described Vine as "a true and utter gentleman at all times", adding: "I don't know of anybody who is regarded as he was in terms of his professionalism and dedication, whether he was presenting or commentating."

"He was like a member of my family. He was that close."

Vine, who was from Devon, worked on various newspapers, as well as for ITV and the BBC.

His first wife, with whom he had three children, died and he married again in 1972. He and his second wife had a son.

Mr Madeley said Vine's health had not been good in recent times; he had had a hip replacement as well as the heart surgery.

Vine's last big job for the BBC was covering the weightlifting at the 2000 Olympics.