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Nicholas Parsons

Nicholas Parsons
CBE
Just a Minute.jpg
Parsons recording Just a Minute
at The Pleasance Grand, Edinburgh in 2007
Born Christopher Nicholas Parsons
(1923-10-10) 10 October 1923 (age 93)
Grantham, Lincolnshire, England, UK
Education St Paul's School, London
University of Glasgow
Occupation Actor; radio and TV presenter
Years active 1945–present
Known for Just a Minute
Sale of the Century
Title Rector of the University of St Andrews
(1988–91)

President of the Lord's Taverners
(1998–99)
Spouse(s) Denise Bryer (m. 1954; div. 1989)
Ann Reynolds (m. 1995)
Children 2 (with Bryer)
Website www.nicholasparsons.co.uk

Christopher Nicholas Parsons, CBE (born 10 October 1923) is an English radio and television presenter and actor. His long career in television, radio and theatre has made him a household name and he has been described as "the ultimate quiz show host" because of his "geniality, clarity of diction and the speed with which he rattled through questions".

Best known today for his long-standing position as host of the comedy radio game show Just a Minute, Parsons is also famous as the long-term host of Sale of the Century, a show whose audience peaked at over 21 million viewers (a record for an ITV game show).

Parsons was born at 1 Castlegate, Grantham, Lincolnshire; he was the middle child of the family, having an older brother and a younger sister. His father was a general practitioner, who delivered Margaret Thatcher. His mother, born in Bristol to a founder of local company W.B. Maggs & Co, was training as a nurse when she met Parsons' father at University College Hospital, London.

Parsons was born left-handed but was made to write with his right hand. As a child, he had a stutter, which he managed to control as he grew older, and was slow to learn owing to dyslexia. He also suffered from migraines but nevertheless excelled at school.

After education at Colet Court and St Paul's School in London, Parsons' initial career plan was to become an actor. However, his parents believed that a career in engineering would be better, as he had repaired grandfather clocks as a young man and was creative with his hands.


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