John David Edmunds (3 April 1929 – 3 May 2023) was a British academic who set up the Drama Department at the

University College of Wales, Aberystwyth Aberystwyth University () is a Public university, public Research university, research university in Aberystwyth, Wales. Aberystwyth was a founding member institution of the former federal University of Wales. The university has over 8,000 stude ...

which he headed from 1973 to 1985. Edmunds trained as an actor but was best known as an

ABC Weekend TV ABC Television Limited, popularly known as ABC Weekend TV, was a British broadcaster which provided the weekend service in the Midlands and Northern England regions of the Independent Television (ITV) network from 1956 to 1968. It was one of ...

Transdiffusion website
and

Associated Rediffusion Associated-Rediffusion, later Rediffusion London, was the British ITV franchise holder for London and parts of the surrounding counties, on weekdays between 22 September 1955 and 29 July 1968. It was the first ITA franchisee to go on air, ...

continuity announcer.

Early years

John Edmunds was born in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

on 3 April 1929 to Welsh parents. He attended Ardwyn Grammar School in

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth (; ) is a University town, university and seaside town and a community (Wales), community in Ceredigion, Wales. It is the largest town in Ceredigion and from Aberaeron, the county's other administrative centre. In 2021, the popula ...

before attending the

where he studied English and French in the late 1940s and early 50s, and where he also performed as an amateur actor before being asked to join a local

repertory company A repertory theatre, also called repertory, rep, true rep or stock, which are also called producing theatres, is a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation. United Kingdom ...

during the holidays. Alongside his early TV announcing work, Edmunds was a part-time teacher in English. He taught at Battersea Grammar School in

Streatham Streatham ( ) is a district in south London, England. Centred south of Charing Cross, it lies mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, with some parts extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth. Streatham was in Surrey ...

from the early to mid sixties. He also taught French at Henry Thornton Grammar School in

Clapham Clapham () is a district in south London, south west London, England, lying mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, but with some areas (including Clapham Common) extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth. History Ea ...

in 1954 to 1955. Edmunds was best known as an

and

continuity announcer who later presented BBC Children's TV's '' Top of the Form'' from 1966 to 1967. He was a

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

TV newsreader from September 1968 until September 1973, and then again in October 1974 and between September 1979 and June 1981.The TV Room Plus
Edmunds also presented the BBC's regional London TV magazine, ''Town and Around'' from 1968 to 1969 and BBC Radio 4's ''

You and Yours ''You and Yours'' is a British radio consumer affairs programme, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and produced by BBC News. History ''You and Yours'' began broadcasting in October 1970, when its first presenter was Joan York. In the 1980s it briefly ra ...

'' in 1972.

Later career

From 1973 to 1985, Edmunds was head of drama at the

, where his students included

Neil Brand Neil Brand (born 18 March 1958) is an English dramatist, composer and author. In addition to being a regular silent film accompanist at London's National Film Theatre, Brand has composed new scores for two restored films from the 1920s, '' T ...

and

Sharon Maguire Sharon Maguire (born 17 August 1960) is a film director best known for directing the romantic comedy film '' Bridget Jones's Diary'' (2001). The film was based on the book of the same name by her close friend, Helen Fielding, and one of the ma ...

. He was professor of drama at the University of the Americas,

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

, and

University of California The University of California (UC) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university, research university system in the U.S. state of California. Headquartered in Oakland, California, Oakland, the system is co ...

, Santa Cruz, from 1985 to 1997. Edmunds returned to the UK and appeared in several theatre productions, including his own drama, verse, and prose recitals. His translations of works by French dramatists Racine and

Molière Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, ; ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the great writers in the French language and world liter ...

have been published by Penguin and performed on BBC Radio. Edmunds also appeared in cameo roles in the films'' Lifeforce'' (1985), ''Love in Limbo'' (1993), ''Rendezvous with Zack'' (2000), and ''The Faces of the Moon'' (2002).

Death

Edmunds died in

Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...

on 3 May 2023, at the age of 94.

References

External links

Edmunds on The TV Room Plus
* *
John Edmunds
at the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edmunds, John 1929 births 2023 deaths British television presenters British male journalists British LGBTQ broadcasters British LGBTQ journalists Gay academics Gay journalists BBC newsreaders and journalists Radio and television announcers British gay writers People from Aberystwyth Academics of Aberystwyth University Alumni of Aberystwyth University Alumni of the University of Wales 20th-century British LGBTQ people 21st-century British LGBTQ people