Marcel Stellman Program Father Dies Venerable Ninety Six Of Amsterdam, Started Meanwhile 1958.

Marcel stellman, writer of channel 4’s long-going for walks gameshow countdown, has died at the age of 96.

Belgian-born stellman was additionally a report manufacturer and lyricist who wrote songs for stars which include cilla black, charles aznavour and the shadows. Among his fine-regarded tracks become the max bygraves hit tulips from amsterdam, launched in 1958.

Countdown changed into channel 4’s first show at its 1982 release and has grow to be one of the world’s most enduring game indicates. Stellman’s nephew recorded on twitter: “it is with our inner most sorrow we share with you information of the dying of our liked uncle – marcel stellman, 96, who handed away late last night. Marcel is survived by his liked spouse jean.”

Former countdown star carol Vorderman, who regarded on the display for 26 years from 1982 until 2008, changed into among the ones paying tribute, crediting stellman with making countdown a “juggernaut”. Vorderman introduced stellman had had “a outstanding lifestyles properly lived” and recalled “many very satisfied many years together”.

The pair’s running relationship changed into near, and whilst she left the show after contract negotiations grew to become bitter stellman expressed his “disappointed”. This is someone i’ve regarded for 26 years who commenced countdown. If i’m mr countdown, she is mrs countdown,” he stated.

Additionally paying tribute turned into dictionary nook’s susie dent, who stated the display had lost its “patriarch and most passionate suggest”. Stellman become born in belgium in 1925 and worked as a manufacturer and global supervisor at decca statistics from the mid-Fifties as much as 1989.

He labored alongside many huge names including sir tom jones, engelbert humperdinck and dame vera lynn. Stellman introduced countdown to the UK in 1982, stimulated via french television collection des chiffres et des lettres (numbers and letters. He pitched the idea to several networks and it become in the long run picked up through yorkshire tv, which commissioned a series of 8 suggests.