Frank Bough became known as one of the BBC's most accomplished presenters, equally able to cover sport, entertainment and politics. He was educated at Oswestry Boys' School and Merton College, Oxford. He undertook
national service in the Royal Tank Regiment. He was encouraged to become a
broadcaster by Gerald Sinstadt, Bough
joined the BBC's regional news in Newcastle and within a couple of
years had moved down to London, first making his name on national
television as a BBC sports commentator.
He became a stalwart
presenter on BBC television from the 1960s until the 1980s, hosting
many of the corporation's most popular shows, including
Grandstand (1958),
Nationwide (1969) and
Breakfast Time (1983).
In 1988 he was exposed by a UK tabloid newspaper as a cocaine user who
enjoyed cross-dressing, sadomasochism and brothels. He expressed
regrets about his lifestyle in subsequent interviews and his wife Nesta
remained supportive, but these revelations caused considerable
embarrassment and ended his long career at the BBC.
