Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Christopher Nicholas Parsons CBE R.I.P.

Christopher Nicholas Parsons CBE (10 October 1923 – 28 January 2020) actor and radio and television presenter. He was the long-running presenter of the comedy radio show Just a Minute and hosted the game show Sale of the Century during the 1970s and early 1980s.

Parsons was born and grew up in Grantham, Lincolnshire and was educated at St Paul's School, London. He became a full-time actor following the Second World War and began appearing in various theatre, film and television roles, including support to Arthur Haynes. He began presenting Just a Minute in 1967 and never missed a show until 2018. In addition to his well-known roles on this and Sale of the Century, he appeared as a guest on other television shows, including Dr Who and Have I Got News for You. At the time of his death in 2020 he was the longest-serving intermittent broadcaster on the BBC.