Michael Aspel OBE: his age, career and children

Michael Aspel OBE is a much-loved TV presenter on British television programmes such as Crackerjack, Aspel & Company, The 6 O'Clock Show and Antiques Roadshow.

Michael Aspel’s age

Michael was born on 12 January 1933 in Battersea, London, making him 88 years old.

Michael Aspel’s early life

During the Second World War, Michael was evacuated to Chard, Somerset for nearly five years. After passing his eleven-plus in 1944, he attended Emanuel School and served as a conscript of the National Service, in the ranks of the King's Royal Rifle Corps, from 1951 until 1953.

Michael Aspel’s career

Michael first stepped in the media in 1957 where he began working as a newsreader for the BBC in Cardiff. It certainly went well for Michael as by the early sixties, he had become one of four regular newsreaders on the BBC.

He went on to present many programmes for the BBC including the competition series Come Dancing, Crackerjack, Ask Aspel, and the Miss World beauty contest, which he actually presented a whopping 14 times.

Michael hosted the BBC's A Song for Europe contest to choose Britain's Eurovision entry in both 1969 and 1976. He also provided the UK TV commentary twice at the Eurovision Song Contest in the same years as well.

The presenter also has lots of experience in radio too, presenting for Capital Radio, LBC and BBC radio.

Aspel was also the host of the chat show Aspel & Company which ran in the 1980s and 1990s on ITV. It was incredibly successful, boasting interviews with high-profile guests such as Margaret Thatcher, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

After being featured on This is Your Life in 1980, Michael went on to become the presenter of the programme when host Eamonn Andrews died in 1987. He presented the show until its run ended in 2003.

Michael Aspel on Antiques Roadshow

Perhaps one of his most well-known shows, Michael presented BBC's Antiques Roadshow from 2000 until 2008.

Related: Flog It! Presenters

Michael’s awards

In 1993, Aspel became an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) "for services to broadcasting". He has also been voted TV Times and Variety Club Television Personality of the Year and was also voted into the Royal Television Society Hall of Fame for outstanding services to television.

Michael Aspel’s spouse and children

Michael married his first wife Dian Sessions in 1957 and they had two children together. They sadly divorced in 1961. Michael then married Anne Reed, a TV scriptwriter, in 1962 and they had twin children. The relationship also ended in divorce in 1967.

It wasn’t the third time lucky for Michael either as despite marrying Eastenders actress Elizabeth Power in 1977 and going onto have two sons together, Michel ended up leaving Elizabeth in 1994 for Irene Clarke, a production assistant on This Is Your Life.

Michael Aspel’s illness

Michael has a dormant case of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He told the News of the World: "Thankfully it's low-grade cancer. The strange thing about it is you don't feel unwell. Without that check-up I may not have found out about it at all because there are no symptoms.

"Although the condition hasn't gone, my doctor tells me my life isn't threatened by it. It just ticks away and needs monitoring. I have regular check-ups. I'm in a very positive frame of mind.

"After the initial shock, I was given leaflets. I've read up on the condition and I feel OK. It hasn't gone but it hasn't developed."

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