Alan Whicker
Encyclopedia
Alan Donald Whicker, CBE
(born 2 August 1925) is a British
journalist
and broadcaster. His career has spanned over 50 years.
, Egypt
. When he was just three years old his father Charles became seriously ill and the family moved to Richmond in London (at that time in Surrey), where he and his mother remained after the death of his father. He attended Haberdashers' Aske's Boys School and, upon leaving school at 16 during the Second World War, he was commissioned as an officer in the Devonshire Regiment of the British Army
. He then joined the British Army
's Film and Photo Unit in Italy in 1943, filming at Anzio
and meeting such influential figures as Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery. He was also responsible for taking into custody the notorious British traitor John Amery
.
In 2004, Whicker appeared in a successful television series on this topic, titled Whicker's War. In this series he reveals that he was one of the first of the Allied forces to enter Milan
and that he took into custody an SS general and troopers who were looking after the SS vault of money. Whicker also shot footage of the body of Benito Mussolini
.
(during which time his death was mistakenly reported), and after joining the BBC
in 1957, was an international reporter for their Tonight programme. In 1959, this led to him presenting the television programme for which he is best known, the long-running documentary series Whicker's World
which was filmed all over the globe. Whicker continued to present the series for more than 30 years (up until 1990) and he won a BAFTA Award in 1964 for his presentation in the Factual category, and he also won the Richard Dimbleby Award
at the 1977 BAFTA ceremony. Whicker was also instrumental in launching Yorkshire Television
(which made Whicker's World for some years), producing television programmes for them from 1969 until 1992.
In the New Year's Honours list published 31 December 2004, Whicker was created a Commander of the Order of the British Empire
for services to broadcasting
.
Whilst presenting Whicker's World, Whicker was well known for his subtle brand of satire, and social commentary. Whicker's World was parodied
in a Monty Python's Flying Circus
sketch featuring a tropical island where all the inhabitants dress and act like Alan Whicker. Benny Hill
, towards the end of his run with the BBC in 1968, impersonated Whicker in a parody called "Knicker's World".
Whicker has appeared in various commercials for Barclaycard
, and is also the man behind the popular advertising slogan "Hello World", for travelocity
.co.uk. He narrated the 2007 and 2008 BBC documentary series Comedy Map of Britain
.
In 2009, aged in his mid-eighties, Whicker returned to some of the locations and people who were originally featured in Whicker's World for the BBC series Alan Whicker's Journey Of A Lifetime. In this, he met with various people whom he had interviewed decades earlier to see how their lives had progressed since the initial programme.
from 1966–1969. He has been with his current partner, Valerie Kleeman (who is 20 years his junior), since 1969. He has never married or had children.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 2 August 1925) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and broadcaster. His career has spanned over 50 years.
Background
Whicker was born to British parents in CairoCairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. When he was just three years old his father Charles became seriously ill and the family moved to Richmond in London (at that time in Surrey), where he and his mother remained after the death of his father. He attended Haberdashers' Aske's Boys School and, upon leaving school at 16 during the Second World War, he was commissioned as an officer in the Devonshire Regiment of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. He then joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
's Film and Photo Unit in Italy in 1943, filming at Anzio
Operation Shingle
Operation Shingle , during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against Axis forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. The operation was commanded by Major General John P. Lucas and was intended to outflank German forces of the Winter Line and enable an...
and meeting such influential figures as Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery. He was also responsible for taking into custody the notorious British traitor John Amery
John Amery
John Amery was a British fascist who proposed to the Wehrmacht the formation of a British volunteer force and made recruitment efforts and propaganda broadcasts for Nazi Germany...
.
In 2004, Whicker appeared in a successful television series on this topic, titled Whicker's War. In this series he reveals that he was one of the first of the Allied forces to enter Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
and that he took into custody an SS general and troopers who were looking after the SS vault of money. Whicker also shot footage of the body of Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
.
Broadcasting career
After the Second World War, Whicker became a journalist and broadcaster, acting as a newspaper correspondent during the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
(during which time his death was mistakenly reported), and after joining the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 1957, was an international reporter for their Tonight programme. In 1959, this led to him presenting the television programme for which he is best known, the long-running documentary series Whicker's World
Whicker's World
Whicker's World is an award-winning British television documentary series that ran from 1959 to 1988, presented by journalist and broadcaster Alan Whicker....
which was filmed all over the globe. Whicker continued to present the series for more than 30 years (up until 1990) and he won a BAFTA Award in 1964 for his presentation in the Factual category, and he also won the Richard Dimbleby Award
Richard Dimbleby
Richard Dimbleby CBE was an English journalist and broadcaster widely acknowledged as one of the greatest figures in British broadcasting history.-Early life:...
at the 1977 BAFTA ceremony. Whicker was also instrumental in launching Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
(which made Whicker's World for some years), producing television programmes for them from 1969 until 1992.
In the New Year's Honours list published 31 December 2004, Whicker was created a Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for services to broadcasting
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
.
Whilst presenting Whicker's World, Whicker was well known for his subtle brand of satire, and social commentary. Whicker's World was parodied
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
in a Monty Python's Flying Circus
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Monty Python’s Flying Circus is a BBC TV sketch comedy series. The shows were composed of surreality, risqué or innuendo-laden humour, sight gags and observational sketches without punchlines...
sketch featuring a tropical island where all the inhabitants dress and act like Alan Whicker. Benny Hill
Benny Hill
Benny Hill was an English comedian and actor, notable for his long-running television programme The Benny Hill Show.-Early life:...
, towards the end of his run with the BBC in 1968, impersonated Whicker in a parody called "Knicker's World".
Whicker has appeared in various commercials for Barclaycard
Barclaycard
Barclaycard, part of Barclays Retail and Business Banking, is a global payment business. The Barclaycard was the first credit card introduced in the UK, coming into service in 1966. It enjoyed a monopoly until the introduction of the Access card in 1972....
, and is also the man behind the popular advertising slogan "Hello World", for travelocity
Travelocity
Travelocity is an online travel agency and wholly owned subsidiary of Sabre Holdings Corporation, which was a publicly traded company until taken private by Silver Lake Partners and Texas Pacific Group in March 2007...
.co.uk. He narrated the 2007 and 2008 BBC documentary series Comedy Map of Britain
Comedy Map of Britain
Comedy Map of Britain is a BBC documentary series which visits the places that have inspired many of Britain's leading comedians. It first aired on BBC Two in 2007 and 2008....
.
In 2009, aged in his mid-eighties, Whicker returned to some of the locations and people who were originally featured in Whicker's World for the BBC series Alan Whicker's Journey Of A Lifetime. In this, he met with various people whom he had interviewed decades earlier to see how their lives had progressed since the initial programme.
Personal life
Whicker had a relationship with Olga DeterdingOlga Deterding
Olga Deterding was a wealthy heiress and socialite who regularly featured in the gossip columns of London Society during the Sixties and Seventies. She inherited an estimated £50 million from her father Sir Henri Deterding the founder of Royal Dutch Petroleum, and at one point in the seventies...
from 1966–1969. He has been with his current partner, Valerie Kleeman (who is 20 years his junior), since 1969. He has never married or had children.