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Sports presenter David Vine dies aged 73

The veteran BBC sports presenter David Vine, who progressed to broadcasting after starting his career in the regional press, has died aged 73.

David became best-known in latter years for presenting skiing and snooker programmes but over the course of four nearly decades at the BBC there were few sports he didn’t cover.

Among the programmes he fronted were Match Of The Day, Grandstand, The Horse of the Year Show, A Question Of Sport, Ski Sunday, Quiz Ball and Rugby Special.

Away from the sporting arena he also presented It’s A Knock Out, Miss World, the Eurovision Song Contest and Superstars.

David was brought up in Barnstaple, Devon, and joined the North Devon Journal as a trainee reporter.

After completing his National Service he returned to his home county to work at the Western Morning News in Plymouth, eventually becoming the newspaper’s sports editor.

In 1961, he joined the regional TV company Westward before the BBC hired him in 1966 to present Sportscene – the precursor of Sportsnight – on BBC2.

Over the ensuing decades he became known as the BBC’s Mr Reliable – a safe pair of hands who could turn his skills to virtuallyany presenting task.

David retired in 2000 after nearly 40 years presenting sport on television.

He had triple heart by-pass surgery several years ago.

He celebrated his birthday this month, and died from a heart attack earlier today at his home, near Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.

You can leave your tributes to David in the comments below or on his page at Lasting Tribute.