By Elliott West
Introduction
Many people remember the long-running BBC snooker series Pot Black but probably not the original presenter. Back in 1969 when colour tv was in its infancy, the television channel was looking for programmes to showcase the technicolour format of broadcasting. Ted Lowe approached by David Attenborough, to come up with a format to educate the viewers on this colourful game.
Using the then few players that populated the professional tour and a few more besides to pad it out, Keith Macklin was chosen to be the presenter for the first series. Filmed in Birmingham, the event was filmed in one day and then broken down into half hour, weekly slots for transmission.
Career
Sadly Macklin’s brief time at the helm of Pot Black is forgotten in the mists of time but he will be remembered for being an authoritative and versatile journalist who spent more than fifty years working in the industry. A writer who had a passion for rugby league and someone who helped expand the boundaries of the game outside its traditional northern roots.
A proud Lancastrian, Keith was born in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside and went to Prescot grammar school, beginning his journalistic career, aged just 15, getting a job working in the copy room of the Liverpool Evening Express. After a brief spell working as a clerk at Cronton Colliery, Macklin carried out his national service in the RAF in 1949 and was demobbed in 1951.
Keith went on to work as a junior reporter for the Warrington Guardian, working out of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Working there until 1955, Keith was tasked with reporting for the town’s local rugby league and covered their greatest victory when Barrow won the Lancashire Cup in 1955, travelling to Wembley where the team beat Workington Town 22-12 in the Challenge Cup final.
Fortunate enough to be able to move into broadcasting, Macklin worked initially for the BBC’s north region, Keith then starting providing the commentary for Rugby League, providing a refreshing alternative to Eddie Waring with his eloquence and mastery with words. A wordsmith, the Lancastrian went on to write regular columns for the Sunday Express, the Sunday People and the Times. He also wrote several books on rugby league.
By chance, Macklin was asked to become the anchorman for the BBC’s North at 6 after viewing figures had plummeted under the helm of Colin Welland, the actor and film director. Moving from occasional reporter to frontman didn’t phase him and the programme soon became popular and found the missing piece to this news informative programme.
Keith went on to work on shows such as Pot Black, Songs of Praise and Rugby Special and after leaving Pot Black, became the chief football correspondent for Yorkshire Television, providing commentary for the Indoor League, a programme that showcased pastimes such as skittles and carpet bowls. Greater things followed with Macklin covering the 1972 Olympics and the 1974 football World Cup and worked as a presenter on the Newsround programme, working for Border Television in Carlisle.
Keith then turned to work in radio, working for Broad-casting, Red Rose Radio, Rock FM and Magic 999 and at this time was involved in the production of documentaries on the Abbeystead water pumping station explosion that occurred in 1984 and the Freckleston air disaster of 1944.
During the early 1990s, Macklin fronted Rugby League Action and Scrumdown when ITV took over coverage of rugby and also worked on football, cricket and bowls commentary for Border Television and spent four years working on Premiership football.
Keith was also known for being a Methodist preacher and completed a MA degree on John Ruskin at the University of Lancaster, writing an autobiography on his life, entitled ‘A Two Horse Town: 50 years in Broadcasting’. Macklin passed away on 1 August 2009.
