From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William "Bill" Grundy (18 May 1923 - 9 February
1993) was an English television presenter and former host of
Today, a regional news programme broadcast on Thames
Television. He became nationally notorious because of a
disastrous interview with the Sex Pistols on his show in 1976.
Biography
The son of a factory owner, William Grundy was born in Manchester in 1923 and
educated at Manchester University, where
he read geology. Grundy
began his career as a geologist and as a part-time journalist. When
Granada
Television began broadcasting in 1956, Grundy auditioned for
the post of newsreader, which at first he held in-tandem with his
geological work. He was the first television presenter to present
The Beatles on
Granada Television on October 17, 1962. He appeared on several TV
shows, including People and Places and Man About
the House, but his greatest claim to fame was as host of
the Today show.
The
Today show incident
Grundy became notorious in a matter of two minutes owing to an
incident that occurred when the punk band Sex Pistols and their entourage appeared at
short notice on the Today show of December 1, 1976. They
were a last minute stand-in for Queen, who were forced to cancel. The
Today show was broadcast live and uncensored during
daytime hours at a time when obscenities were forbidden.
The interview began when Grundy proceeded to introduce and
provoke the band, with tongue firmly in cheek. He joked that he was
under the influence as he introduced them - "...they are as drunk
as I am!" Initially he received mocking but polite responses from
Glen Matlock.
However, Steve Jones, when asked by
Grundy what the band had done with the £40,000 given to them by
their record company, said: "Fuckin' spent it" which was apparently
not noticed by Grundy at the time. This was followed by two more
uses of the word "fuck" by Jones (only the fourth and fifth
occurrences of this on British Television at the time). Following
this, Johnny Rotten
muttered the word "shit" under his breath, but when asked, said
that it was nothing but a "rude word." Grundy insisted that Rotten
repeat what he had said, which he did loudly, and then responded
mockingly when Rotten complied.
Next, Grundy jokingly made advances on Siouxsie Sioux, who appeared as part of
the band's
entourage, by saying "let's meet afterwards shall we?" Steve
Jones responded by calling Grundy a "dirty sod" and a "dirty old
man." Grundy further goaded Jones to "say something outrageous", a
challenge Jones was ready to meet. He called Grundy a "dirty
bastard" and a "dirty fucker" (to which Grundy mockingly responded
"what a clever boy") and finally proclaimed "what a fucking
rotter." As the show ended, Grundy could be seen muttering what
some people believe to be "oh shit" as the credits rolled and as
the band began dancing to the closing theme.
Although Today was only shown in the London ITV
region, it became a national story due to coverage and comment by
the tabloid press. As a
result, Grundy was suspended for two weeks and Today was
cancelled two months
later.
Post
Today
The broadcast wrecked Grundy's television career. By 1979 he was
presenting a book-review programme, A Better Read,
broadcast not at prime time like Today, but early on
Sunday mornings.[1] His
presenting slot on What the Papers Say in the
early 1980s was his last on national British television, although
he continued to present on BBC North West on such shows as
Sweet and Sour and The Lancashire Lads into the
mid-80s. He also appeared as an interviewer in ITV's adaptation of
A Kind of
Loving in 1982. Grundy died of a heart attack in Stockport, Greater
Manchester,[2] on
February 9, 1993, aged 69. After his death, the job of writing his
obituary went to his
friend and colleague Brian Inglis. Two days later Inglis
himself died.
His son Tim Grundy
was a popular radio presenter in the Manchester area until his
death in 2009. Grundy's other son Nick lives and teaches English in
France.
References
- ^
http://www.ansible.co.uk/writing/ff02.html
- ^
http://www.findmypast.com/BirthsMarriagesDeaths.jsp
Deaths England and Wales 1984-2006
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