William G Stewart, the longtime host of the popular TV quiz show 15 to 1, has died aged 84.

Stewart, a producer and director of TV sitcoms and gameshows who began his television career behind the camera, presented the Channel 4 show from 1988 to 2003.



It had the reputation for being one of the toughest quizzes on TV.

“Sadly, William G Stewart passed away peacefully this morning surrounded by his family after a brief illness,” his agent, Julia Wyatt, said.

In the 1960s Stewart worked as private secretary to the Labour MP Tom Driberg about whom he subsequently made a documentary.



In his long television career he produced and directed many programmes including the TV sitcoms Father, Dear Father, Bless This House, and Love Thy Neighbour.



He then began working on gameshows including Family Fortunes and The Price is Right.



He stepped in front of the camera to present the pilot of the elimination show which saw 15 contestants trying to stay in by either answering questions correctly or passing the question on to other contestants to answer. Channel 4 told him they would like him to continue presenting.

The idea for the show came from a former BT sales manager who wrote to Stewart after it had already been rejected by nine other producers. Stewart offered him £200 if he gave him a 12-month option to develop the idea. “Well, that £200 was the best money I’ve ever spent in my life,” Stewart later wrote.



He said the show’s success was down to the questions being “properly tough”. Writing a decade after his final show was broadcast, he said the calibre of questions was of such a high standard “the only quiz shows I watch regularly now are Mastermind and University Challenge”.



A stickler for rules, he successfully sued the show’s 1997 champion because he had appeared on the programme before, which was not allowed.



The show returned to Channel 4 as Fifteen to One in 2014, hosted by Sandi Toksvig, following an 11-year break.



In 2010, Stewart alleged he had been approached about being a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing but was vetoed because he was “too old”.



A father of five, in 1997 Stewart married his third wife, Laura Calland, a voiceover artist for 15 to 1.



Channel 4 said it was saddened to hear of Stewart’s death and described him as a “broadcasting legend”.

A statement shared by the broadcaster and the team behind the programme read: “We are saddened to hear the news about William G Stewart, whose inimitable style set 15 to 1 apart from all other quiz shows. He was a broadcasting legend and our thoughts are with his friends and family.”

Toksvig, who presents Great British Bake Off on Channel 4, said of Stewart: “A lovely man, a consummate TV professional and, of course, host of 15 to 1 long before I stepped up.”