Dickie Davies, the presenter who fronted ITV's World of Sport for nearly two decades, has died at the age of 94. The sports broadcaster, known for his distinctive moustache and bouffant hair, was the face of Saturday afternoon television from the 1960s until the show ended in 1985.
Former ITV colleague Jim Rosenthal announced the death, saying Davies' family were 'so proud' of his 'brilliant career on the telly'. Rosenthal added: 'Dickie was a wonderful friend and colleague. RIP DD.' Fellow sports presenter Simon Thomas called Davies an 'absolute giant' in the industry.
Davies began his TV career in 1960 as an announcer on Southern Television, having previously worked as a purser for Cunard Line. He joined World of Sport as an understudy to Eamonn Andrews before becoming the main host in 1968. The show, a mix of live sport including racing, wrestling and football results, competed with the BBC's Grandstand.
Every Saturday, Davies anchored a five-hour marathon covering a wide variety of sports, including minority events. Memorable moments include the 1977 Christmas Eve special, where comedian Eric Morecambe performed distracting skits and played snooker using Davies' head to balance his cue.
After World of Sport ended, Davies stayed at ITV until 1989, then became sports editor at Classic FM. A stroke in 1995 affected his speech and forced him off air, but he later returned for specials including ITV's 50-year World of Sport anniversary in 2005.
Tributes have come from broadcasters including Sky Sports' Jeff Stelling, who said Davies was 'one of my inspirations', and the BBC's Gabby Logan, who called him 'one of the very best'. ITV's Mark Pougatch wrote: 'Ach, Dickie Davies. The rest of us walk in the footsteps of giants. RIP.'
