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{{recentdeath|Kington, Miles|date=January 2008}} |
{{recentdeath|Kington, Miles|date=January 2008}} |
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'''Miles Kington''' ([[13 May]] [[1941]] – [[30 January]] [[2008]]) was a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[journalist]], [[jazz]] musician and [[broadcaster]]. He was born in [[Northern Ireland]] (where his father, a soldier, was then posted), went to school at [[Trinity College, Glenalmond]], a boys' [[independent school|independent]] [[boarding school]] in [[Glenalmond]], Scotland. The school has since been renamed [[Glenalmond College]]. He then studied Modern Languages at [[Trinity College, Oxford]]. |
'''Miles Kington''' ([[13 May]] [[1941]] – [[30 January]] [[2008]]) was a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[journalist]], [[jazz]] musician and [[broadcaster]]. He was born in born [[Downpatrick]], [[County Down]], [[Northern Ireland]] (where his father, a soldier, was then posted), went to school at [[Trinity College, Glenalmond]], a boys' [[independent school|independent]] [[boarding school]] in [[Glenalmond]], Scotland. The school has since been renamed [[Glenalmond College]]. He then studied Modern Languages at [[Trinity College, Oxford]]. |
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He began his career at the now defunct [[satirical]] magazine ''[[Punch_magazine|Punch]]'', where he spent some 15 years. It was during this time, in the late [[1970s]], that he began writing ''Let's Parler [[Franglais]]!''. Written in a comical mixture of [[English_language|English]] and [[French_language|French]], these short sketches purporting to be a study course took as their raison d'être the undeniable fact that "les Français ne parlent pas le [[O-level]] français" ("the French do not speak O-level French"). They were later published as a series of books (''Let's Parler Franglais!'', ''Let's Parler Franglais Again'', ''Let's Parler Franglais One More Temps'', and so on). During the 1980s he presented ''[[Steam Days]]'', an informative programme about steam trains. |
He began his career at the now defunct [[satirical]] magazine ''[[Punch_magazine|Punch]]'', where he spent some 15 years. It was during this time, in the late [[1970s]], that he began writing ''Let's Parler [[Franglais]]!''. Written in a comical mixture of [[English_language|English]] and [[French_language|French]], these short sketches purporting to be a study course took as their raison d'être the undeniable fact that "les Français ne parlent pas le [[O-level]] français" ("the French do not speak O-level French"). They were later published as a series of books (''Let's Parler Franglais!'', ''Let's Parler Franglais Again'', ''Let's Parler Franglais One More Temps'', and so on). During the 1980s he presented ''[[Steam Days]]'', an informative programme about steam trains. |
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Revision as of 20:32, 6 February 2008
 | This article is currently being heavily edited because its subject has recently died. Information about their death and related events may change significantly and initial news reports may be unreliable. The most recent updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
Miles Kington (13 May 1941 – 30 January 2008) was a British journalist, jazz musician and broadcaster. He was born in born Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland (where his father, a soldier, was then posted), went to school at Trinity College, Glenalmond, a boys' independent boarding school in Glenalmond, Scotland. The school has since been renamed Glenalmond College. He then studied Modern Languages at Trinity College, Oxford.
He began his career at the now defunct satirical magazine Punch, where he spent some 15 years. It was during this time, in the late 1970s, that he began writing Let's Parler Franglais!. Written in a comical mixture of English and French, these short sketches purporting to be a study course took as their raison d'être the undeniable fact that "les Français ne parlent pas le O-level français" ("the French do not speak O-level French"). They were later published as a series of books (Let's Parler Franglais!, Let's Parler Franglais Again, Let's Parler Franglais One More Temps, and so on). During the 1980s he presented Steam Days, an informative programme about steam trains.
A lover of jazz since boyhood, he played the double bass (and other instruments) and was for many years the bass player of the cabaret quartet Instant Sunshine. His musical talents were recognised by the popular jazz pianist, Jamie Cullum, who employed Kington on the hit album "Pointless Nostalgic". Kington moved away from London and worked from his home at Limpley Stoke, near Bath.
He wrote a humour column for the United Kingdom newspaper The Independent, which he joined at its launch in 1986 after many years at The Times. He also wrote a similar column for The Oldie.
Regular topics for this included
- The answers to a Christmas quiz that was never printed
- Fictional court reporting
- Jazz
- Motorway Ballads
- Proceedings of the United Deities
- Spot the fictional news story
- Things for which there is no word
- "Albanian Proverbs" which appear profound at first glance, but are actually meaningless
- Letters concerning a recently deceased celebrity's supposed love of cricket
He also satirized Bertrand Russell à la Punch in "Bertrand's Mind Wins over Mater", in Welcome to Kington: Includes All the Pieces You Cut Out From The Independent and Lost (1989).
Kington died at at his home in Limpley Stoke, near Bath, after a short illness, having just filed his last copy for the Independent. He had pancreatic cancer.