Peter Charles Sinclair (15 November 1938 – 8 August 2001) was an Australian-born New Zealand
television personality and radio host.
Biography
Born in
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
, Australia, Sinclair rose to fame in the 1960s and early 1970s firstly on New Zealand radio and then as host of ''Let's Go'', ''Happen Inn'' and ''C'mon'', New Zealand's primary
rock music television shows of the time.
In the late 1970s he reinvented his place in New Zealand television as presenter and
quizmaster on ''
University Challenge'' and ''Mastermind'', two popular television quiz shows which ran until the late 1980s. Sinclair's measured on-screen personality was suited to these kinds of interactive game shows. As a quizmaster he made the phrase "I've started, so I'll finish..." (originally coined by
Magnus Magnusson on the British version of ''Mastermind''), a New Zealand cultural cliché. Sinclair also hosted the 1982 ''
Mastermind International'' contest in New Zealand.
Sinclair was also a noted writer, penning a novel called The Frontman and writing regular columns for the
New Zealand Herald newspaper. In later years he was a radio announcer from 1986, for Radio Avon, in
Christchurch, the city he grew up in, which became
C93FM, before moving on to
Easy Listening i98FM and finally
Classic Hits FM, hosting the popular ''Lovesongs till Midnight'' programme. While still in Christchurch he helped raise money to build a Police Kiosk in
Cathedral Square, for people who needed a safe place to go at all times of the day in case of emergencies. In his later years, he developed a passion for computers and was one of the first New Zealanders to become actively involved with the
Internet. He wrote widely on internet issues, software developments and content.
In the
2001 Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours 2001 was announced on 16 June 2001 for the United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland), New Zealand (4 June), Australia (11 June), Barbados, Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Sai ...
, Sinclair was appointed an
Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant (document), royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Monarchy of New Zealand, Queen of New Zealand, "for those ...
, for services to broadcasting.
Sinclair died in
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...
on 8 August 2001, from
leukaemia
Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ...
, aged 62.
See also
*
List of New Zealand television personalities
This is a list of New Zealand television personalities, including presenters and journalists. It includes those who left the profession, retired, or died.
A
* Suzy Aiken – television personality and Prime News presenter
* Peter Arnett – te ...
References
External links
''NZ Herald'' obituaryMagazine ad from the 80s featuring Peter SinclairPhotograph of Peter Sinclair
standing outside Alicat, Jervois Road, Auckland. Auckland Museum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sinclair, Peter
New Zealand television presenters
Australian emigrants to New Zealand
1938 births
2001 deaths
New Zealand game show hosts
Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit
New Zealand writers
New Zealand radio presenters
People from Sydney
University Challenge