Peter West
Encyclopedia
Peter Anthony West was a BBC
presenter and sports commentator best known for his work on the corporation's cricket
, tennis and rugby
coverage as well as occasionally commentating on field hockey
. Throughout his television career he remained freelance.
after the First World War, and in 1924 set himself up as a poultry farmer in Cranbrook.
and Brian Moore
.
At school he was in the cricket XI for five years, and captain for the last three. He played rugby and hockey for the school for four years, captaining both games for his last two seasons, and, in rugby, leading an undefeated side. He ended his Cranbrook career as head of the school.
and was commissioned into the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment, 33rd of Foot
, which had the reputation of being the best rugby regiment in the Army. At Sandhurst he became an instructor but after being diagnosed with spondylitis
was invalided out of the Army in 1944.
. He remained a cricket commentator, both on radio and television, until 1986. In addition, from 1955 to 1982 he played second fiddle to Dan Maskell
in the BBC's television coverage of Wimbledon
.
He reported the Olympics from 1948 to 1972, missing only 1952 and 1956.
West was the editor of Playfair Cricket Annual
from its inception in 1948 until 1954. He joined the BBC in 1947 on the recommendation of C B Fry
, following a chance meeting. He worked for the BBC for nearly 40 years until retiring in 1986.
He presented many BBC programmes that were not connected with sport, including the original version of Come Dancing
(1957-72), What's My Line?
and presented Get Ahead
(1958-62), about business entrepreneurs. He was a cricket and rugby correspondent for both The Times
and The Daily Telegraph
.
During interviews with sportsmen, West was in the habit of using words that were unfamiliar to his interlocutors. On one occasion, speaking to I.V.A.Richards, he said "Viv, your genius transcends parochialism." In 1984, after Jimmy White had won the Masters, he asked White to comment upon the wonderful ethos which had permeated the final. When White said that he was glad he won West continued to press him about the ethos. Eventually, Terry Griffiths, White's opponent, stepped in and rescued him.
.
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...
presenter and sports commentator best known for his work on the corporation's cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, tennis and rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
coverage as well as occasionally commentating on field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
. Throughout his television career he remained freelance.
Early life
He was an only child. His father, the son of a tobacconist, had made some money in the CityCity of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
after the First World War, and in 1924 set himself up as a poultry farmer in Cranbrook.
Education
He was educated at Cranbrook School in Kent as were his fellow commentators Barry DaviesBarry Davies
Barry George Davies MBE is a British sports commentator. He has covered a wide range of sports in a long career, primarily for the BBC.-Broadcasting career:...
and Brian Moore
Brian Moore (commentator)
Brian Moore was a British sports commentator.-Early life:Moore was born in Gillingham, Kent and educated at the Cranbrook School, Kent, which was also the school of fellow commentators Peter West and Barry Davies....
.
At school he was in the cricket XI for five years, and captain for the last three. He played rugby and hockey for the school for four years, captaining both games for his last two seasons, and, in rugby, leading an undefeated side. He ended his Cranbrook career as head of the school.
War service
After school he went to the Royal Military Academy SandhurstRoyal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
and was commissioned into the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment, 33rd of Foot
Duke of Wellington's Regiment
The Duke of Wellington's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.In 1702 Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days...
, which had the reputation of being the best rugby regiment in the Army. At Sandhurst he became an instructor but after being diagnosed with spondylitis
Spondylitis
Spondylitis is an inflammation of the vertebra. It is a form of spondylopathy. In many cases, spondylitis involves one or more vertebral joint as well, which itself is called spondylarthritis.-Examples:...
was invalided out of the Army in 1944.
Career
Post-war after a series of jobs, in 1952 he became a television commentator for Test cricketTest cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
. He remained a cricket commentator, both on radio and television, until 1986. In addition, from 1955 to 1982 he played second fiddle to Dan Maskell
Dan Maskell
Daniel "Dan" Maskell was an English tennis player, who later became even better known as a radio and television commentator on the game, and was known as the BBC's "voice of tennis"....
in the BBC's television coverage of Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
.
He reported the Olympics from 1948 to 1972, missing only 1952 and 1956.
West was the editor of Playfair Cricket Annual
Playfair Cricket Annual
Playfair Cricket Annual is a compact annual about cricket that is published in the United Kingdom each April, just before the English cricket season is due to begin. Its main purposes are to review the previous English season and to provide detailed career records and potted biographies of current...
from its inception in 1948 until 1954. He joined the BBC in 1947 on the recommendation of C B Fry
C B Fry
Charles Burgess Fry, known as C. B. Fry was an English polymath; an outstanding sportsman, politician, diplomat, academic, teacher, writer, editor and publisher, who is best remembered for his career as a cricketer...
, following a chance meeting. He worked for the BBC for nearly 40 years until retiring in 1986.
He presented many BBC programmes that were not connected with sport, including the original version of Come Dancing
Come Dancing
Come Dancing was a BBC TV ballroom dancing competition show that ran on and off from 1949 to 1998, becoming one of television's longest-running shows....
(1957-72), What's My Line?
What's My Line?
What's My Line? is a panel game show which originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, with several international versions and subsequent U.S. revivals. The game tasked celebrity panelists with questioning contestants in order to determine their occupations....
and presented Get Ahead
Get Ahead
Get Ahead was a BBC Television programme running from 1958 to 1962 which offered a prize of £5,000. This was awarded to a contestant's idea for an entrepreneurial project for a profitable business...
(1958-62), about business entrepreneurs. He was a cricket and rugby correspondent for both The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
and The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
.
During interviews with sportsmen, West was in the habit of using words that were unfamiliar to his interlocutors. On one occasion, speaking to I.V.A.Richards, he said "Viv, your genius transcends parochialism." In 1984, after Jimmy White had won the Masters, he asked White to comment upon the wonderful ethos which had permeated the final. When White said that he was glad he won West continued to press him about the ethos. Eventually, Terry Griffiths, White's opponent, stepped in and rescued him.
Personal life
He married, in 1946, Pauline Pike; they had a daughter and two sons and lived in CheltenhamCheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
.