Bob Humphrys

Infobox journalist
name = Bob Humphrys


caption =
birthname = George Robert Humphrys
birth_date = birth date|1952|4|16
birth_place = Splott, Cardiff, Wales
death_date = death date and age|2008|8|19|1952|4|16
death_place = Cardiff, Wales
education = Cardiff High School
occupation = Journalist
alias =
gender = Male
status = Married
title =
family =
spouse =
children = 3 (two daughters, one son)
relatives =
ethnic = Welsh
religion =
salary =
networth =
credits = "BBC Wales"
agent =
URL =

George Robert Humphrys (April 16, 1952 – August 19, 2008) was a Welsh broadcaster, chiefly known as a sports presenter on BBC Wales. [ [http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/08/19/former-sports-presenter-bob-humphrys-dies-91466-21557807/ Former sports presenter Bob Humphrys dies] ; "WalesOnline", 19 August 2008]

Humphrys was born in born in Splott, a poor working class district of central Cardiff, and was the younger brother of journalist and television presenter John Humphrys. Humphrys was one of five children born to Winifred Mary (Matthews), a hairdresser, and Edward George Humphrys, a self employed french polisher.cite episode |title=Desert Island Discs with John Humphrys |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/desertislanddiscs_20080106.shtml
series=Desert Island Discs | serieslink=Desert Island Discs |network=BBC |station=Radio 4 |airdate=2008-01-06] [The Daily Telegraph, 21 July 2007, "Family Detective"] Encouraged to do his homework, he passed the eleven plus exam and became a pupil at Cardiff High School, then a grammar school.

After a University education, he became a newspaper journalist, working on various publications until he joined the Cardiff based "Western Mail." He then joined BBC Radio Wales in 1978, and then joined BBC Wales television's team as an investigative reporter most often beside his brother on "Week In Week Out," where his reports included an early investigation of the AIDS epidemic developing in the UK. From the early 1990s Humphrys began reporting on sport, a passion of his. Humphrys and his then colleague, former Welsh Rugby Union legend J.J. Williams, presented the first BBC pre-match club house show from Cardiff Rugby Club before a Welsh Rugby international - Humphrys added Taffs Well RFC for atmosphere, who got a bit too drunk through the program. In 2004 he was given a lifetime achievement award by BBC Wales at the Welsh Sports Personality of the Year awards.

After suffering from pains in his shoulders in late 2007, he undertook an X-Ray examination under instruction from his doctor in May 2008, which revealed he was suffering from lung cancer, despite having never smoked. Humphrys confirmed his retirement in June 2008, before undertaking an interview with the "Mail on Sunday" in which he discussed his medical diagnosis. [citeweb|url=http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/health/article-1026957/The-day-I-told-I-lung-cancer-brother-Radio-4s-John-Humphrys.html|title=The day I was told I had lung cancer, by the brother of Radio 4's John Humphrys|author=Bob Humphrys|publisher=Mail on Sunday|date=2008-06-17|accessdate=2008-08-19] At the time of his death he was writing his autobiography.

Humphrys was married with three children (two daughters, one son), and lived in Cardiff. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7569341.stm Former BBC sports presenter dies] ; "BBC News", 19 August 2008] "BBC Wales Today" made Humphry's death their lead story on the 19 August, 2008, with his former colleague and broadcast trainee Jamie Owen leading the section, with a personal tribute by colleague Vincent Kane.

References

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A39780192 BBC Sport 606 Page - tributes to Bob Humphrys]
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/aug/21/television.television Obituary in "The Guardian"]
* [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/bob-humphrys-television-sports-journalist-905370.html Obituary in "The Independent"]