My friend Peter Massey, who has died aged 83, was a much respected former BBC producer who worked on the 1966 World Cup, the 1972 Olympics, the first televising of state banquets at Buckingham Palace, royal weddings and funerals, the raising of the Mary Rose, and Mastermind. His partnership with Magnus Magnusson on the latter was very dear to his heart. His encyclopaedic knowledge of trains, planes and ships would have qualified him as a contestant had he not been on the production side of the programme.
Born in the Isle of Man, the son of Frank, manager of a grocery wholesaler, and Florence (nee Kewley), a teacher, Peter grew up in Stockport. During his time at Stockport grammar school, he had his first contact with the BBC: he co-presented Out of School with Judith Chalmers and played several other bit parts.
After studying at Manchester University, where he met his future wife, Shirley (nee Sams), a musician and professional singer, Peter joined the BBC on the technical side, working his way through several departments before turning to television, where he had a long and illustrious career.
In 1999 he and Shirley, with their son, John, moved to south-west Scotland where, in Gatehouse of Fleet, they became much loved friends of many. Shirley conducted the Gatehouse Singers for many years as well as singing solos, which I had the pleasure of accompanying.
Peter became an elder of Gatehouse parish church and was much in demand as a speaker on his BBC experiences for many groups around the region until the onset of Parkinson’s.
He is survived by Shirley, John and his daughter, Caroline.
