MR Bill Tennent, a leading personality in the early years of Scottish
Television, has died at his Glasgow home, aged 59.
Born in Rutherglen, he went to Glasgow High School before training as
an actor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, where he was
a contemporary of Andy Stewart and John Cairney. When STV was being
launched in 1957, he successfully auditioned and did not complete his
course.
One of his first jobs, apart from announcing, was as presenter of an
advertising magazine, Man About the House. From there he went on to be
anchorman on the news and current affairs programme, Here and Now.
Mr Bill Brown, chairman of the company, said: ''In many respects, Bill
was Mr STV during its first 20 years. He epitomised what the station was
about. He was held in highest esteem by viewers, who regarded him as a
personal friend.''
In the 60s, he was the first recipient of the STV Personality of the
Year award. He was always ready to turn his hand to anything, including
religion, education, documentaries, and reports from abroad.
Several chat shows were built around him, including The Bill Tennent
Show, from the King's, Edinburgh, Time Out with Tennent, and Time for
Tennent.
Bill Tennent was
presenter of local and General Election programmes, and, as an outside
broadcaster, was one of the ITV team at the wedding of Princess
Alexandra and the Queen's jubilee celebrations. He also covered the
opening of the Tay Road Bridge by the Queen Mother.
Mr David Johnstone, ex-director of programmes, who was director of
most of the early Tennent shows, said: ''He was a great television
professional, unflappable under pressure when everything was going out
live.''
Another former colleague said he was ''always completely natural and
unaffected.
When he left STV in the late 70s, it was to be mine host of the Marie
Stuart Hotel, in Glasgow, which was sold last June when he decided to
retire.
He is survived by his wife, Margo, a daughter, Mandy, and son, Scott.
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