Robert "Roy" Walker (born 31 July 1940) is a television personality and comedian from Northern Ireland, who worked for many years as both a television presenter and comedy actor. He is best known as the original host of the game show Catchphrase between 1986 and 1999, and as one of the stars of the comedy showcase The Comedians.
Early life
Born in Belfast, as a teenager Walker performed in the Francis Longford Choir, then worked as a riveter in the Harland and Wolff shipyard. He was the Ireland champion hammer thrower for three years, and represented Ireland internationally.[1] He spent a short time as a comedy partner of James Young[citation needed] before serving seven years in the British Army.[2]
Walker first started work aged 12. By the end of the 1960s, he was running a pawn shop whilst working in the evenings as the compère at the Talk of the Town club in Belfast. The Troubles, a continuing threat of violence between political groups in Northern Ireland, was ongoing at this time. Though Walker was a Protestant and a Unionist, he was confronted by two men, who claimed his wife was a Catholic. They threatened him at gunpoint and gave him 24 hours' notice to close the shop. Walker complied, and the shop was destroyed. He decided to leave Northern Ireland and work in England, touring as a professional comedian, in working men's clubs and cabaret.[3]
I'd been "Mr Belfast" but in Sunderland I had to wait by the phone at nine o'clock hoping that some other poor comic had been paid off after his first act. That seven quid got me my digs.
In 1977, Walker won the ITV talent show New Faces, receiving the highest mark ever given to a comedian.[1] He was also a regular on the 1970s ITV stand-up comedy show The Comedians.[4] He appeared on the BBC show Seaside Special on 15 July 1978.[5] Also in 1978 he appeared in two episodes of Blackpool Bonanza.[6] In 1984 he appeared in an episode of the comedy series The Main Attraction.[6]
A well-dressed gent with thick greying hair and a polite air, Walker's soft Irish voice, his lack of aggression, the composed expression hiding a gentle smile, his amazing pauses which defied interruption, somehow overawing and silencing hecklers…
Walker hosted the game show Catchphrase from 1986 to 1999. During this time he became one of the highest paid stars on television.[citation needed] Walker coined his own catchphrases for the show: "Say what you see", and "It's good, but it's not right". On 12 June 1994, he appeared on Surprise Surprise.[7] Other television appearances in the 1990s included You Bet!, Gagtag, Light Lunch, Wipeout (celebrity special) and TV Nightmares.[6]
In January and February 2016, Walker appeared in the three-part BBC series The Real Marigold Hotel, which followed a group of celebrity senior citizens including Miriam Margolyes and Wayne Sleep on a journey to India.[8]
On 27 February 2018, Walker appeared on the television show 100 Years Younger In 21 Days.
In November 2018 Walker appeared as a guest entertainer on board RCI Navigator of the Seas cruise to the Canary Islands. [citation needed]
Walker lives in the Lancashireseaside resort of Lytham St Annes, which he mentioned once on Catchphrase. He has three children with his late wife Jean, who died of cancer in 1989.[3] He was admitted to Clifton Hospital in early October 2011, following a suspected mini-stroke, and was discharged in good health the following day.[citation needed]
His son, Mark Walker, was the host of ITV game show Steal for 1 series in 1990.[9]
