Ted Moult
Edward Walker "Ted" Moult (11 February 1926, Derby, England – 3 September 1986) was a British farmer at Scaddows Farm near Ticknall, Derbyshire, who became a radio and television personality.
Early life
Moult left Derby School at 17 in 1944 but, by 22, had his first dairy farm in Sinfin, on the outskirts of Derby.[1] He has been credited with the concept of "pick your own" strawberries at his farm; he began in 1961, and always made a point of greeting his customers.
Showbiz career
Moult first came to public attention in the 1950s on BBC Radio's general knowledge quiz Brain of Britain, although he was knocked out in the first round.[1] He consolidated his fame with appearances on discussion programmes such as Any Questions? and panel games such as Ask Me Another, and was a household name by the mid-1960s.[1] The presenter Franklin Engelmann gave him the nickname 'Ticknall Ted'. He played the part of Bill Insley in the Radio 4 soap opera The Archers from 1983.
He was the subject of This Is Your Life in February 1964 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the BBC Television Theatre.
Moult was perhaps best known latterly for his series of adverts for Everest Double Glazing in the 1980s,[2] featuring the selling line: "You only fit double glazing once, so fit the best, fit Everest". He appeared in the opening edition of Channel 4's first show Countdown and had a number of small cameo roles in films and television, playing the love interest of the housekeeper Mrs Hall in a 1980 episode of the TV series All Creatures Great and Small.
From 1983 to 1986, Moult played the part of Bill Insley in the BBC Radio 4 drama "The Archers".
The band Half Man Half Biscuit recorded a track called 'Do y'ken Ted Moult?' on their debut album.
Death
Ted Moult committed suicide by gunshot in 1986 after a period of depression.[1] After a private funeral, his life was celebrated at a public ceremony in Derby Cathedral. He is buried at Ticknall churchyard.
Books
Autobiography: Down to Earth: The Life and Views of Ted Moult, ISBN 0-901482-18-8
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Ted Moult". Inside Out East Midlands. BBC. 25 September 2006. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
- ↑ Jameson, Angela (15 July 2004). "Fit the best, but it may not be Everest, regulator rules". The Times. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
Everest's adverts are fondly remembered by those with a yen for 1980s nostalgia. They showed Ted Moult, a burly Derbyshire farmer, going to outrageous lengths to test the double glazing.