Paul Heiney
| Paul Heiney | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 April 1949 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England |
| Occupation | Radio and TV presenter and author |
| Spouse | Libby Purves |
| Children | Nicholas Heiney (died 2006) Rose Heiney |
Paul Heiney (born Paul Wisniewski 20 April 1949 in Sheffield, Yorkshire) has been a radio broadcaster or television reporter in the United Kingdom for over thirty years.
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[edit] Early life
He is the son of Norbert Wisniewski and Evelyn Mardlin. He changed his surname to Heiney in 1971. He attended Parson Cross Primary School on Halifax Road and High Storrs Grammar School for Boys.[1]
[edit] Career
[edit] Radio
From 1971-4 he was one of the founder broadcasters on BBC Radio Humberside with his popular programme of music, chat and current affairs titled Scunsbygookington, reflecting the key towns in the Humberside region of Scunthorpe, Grimsby, Goole, Kingston-upon-Hull and Bridlington. From 1974-6, he was a reporter for Newsbeat on Radio 1, then from 1976-8, a reporter for the Today programme on Radio 4.
[edit] Television
His television debut started with That's Life! in 1978, staying until 1982. He has worked on In At The Deep End, The Travel Show, Food and Drink and, on BBC Radio 4, You and Yours. More recently he has presented BBC1's consumer affairs programme Watchdog. He currently presents ITV1 primetime show 'Countrywise'.
In September 2011, Paul co-hosts a prime time Genealogy series Missing Millions alongside Melanie Sykes on ITV1 [2]
[edit] Film
As part of his tasks for the TV series In At The Deep End, Heiney had a speaking role as a German mercenary commander in the 1985 film, Water.
During Paul Heiney's exploration of acting for the BBC show In At The Deep End he visits the the home of Oliver Reed in order to gain a much needed insite into acting, particularly as a 'Hard Man' for the role in the film Water. During the interview, Reed tells Heiney that villians do not have curly hair which Heiney has and that he should loose this. He then advises Heiney to be calm and sinister in the role, rather than histrionic and then he demonstrates, by uttering the phrase “I’ve told you, old man…. (some threat or other)” in a very soft and low voice, but with an edge of threat, while adopting the famous Reed hard stare at Heiney.
The viewers then see Reed takes some exception to Heiney not taking his tutelage more seriously, and the interview is ended abruptly when Reed loses his temper with Heiney and then man handles him from the room and eventually slung out of Reed's house. The viewers are unclear if this staged managed, but Heiney does not seem to be expecting these turn of events, however Reed does finish by winking and grinning at the camera.[3]
[edit] Personal life
In 1990, he took up traditional farming in Suffolk where he lives with his wife Libby Purves. For ten years he worked 36 acres (15 ha) with Suffolk Punch horses. He wrote a diary of his activities for The Times as well as several books. He also presented two videos about farming with horses, Harnessed to the Plough and First Steps to the Furrow, working with his mentors, Roger and Cheryl Clark.
Heiney had agreed with his wife, fellow broadcaster and writer Libby Purves, that they should have the farm for no more than ten years. After the farm's sale Heiney has tried to make more time for his other great passion, sailing. He has also presented A Victorian Summer for Anglia Television, eight half-hour programmes about traditional farming: the glory of working the land with horses as well as the rigours and difficulties that Victorian farmers faced.
"Working the land", says Heiney , "is about the people who labour on it, so I hope we capture some of the richness of character which defines the countrymen and women of the eastern counties. They remain, for me, farming heroes."
In 2005 he took part, in the family boat, in the single handed transatlantic OSTAR race, and wrote an account of the race's history and his own slow crossing in "Last Man Across The Atlantic". He did not, however, quite manage to come last. He was second last.
[edit] References
- ^ Times Educational Supplement, accessed 25 March 2009
- ^ "ITV announces Missing Millions" (Press release). ITV. 2011-08-30. http://www.itv.com/presscentre/missingmillions/ep01week37/default.html.
- ^ Serle, Paul Heiney ; foreword by Chris (1986). In at the deep end. London: Methuen by arrangement with the British Broadcasting Corp.. pp. 192. ISBN 978-0413423801.
