was a panellist on the ITV talent show New Faces and, along with fellow record producer Tony Hatch, became known for his harsh comments on the acts performing on the show. He was a producer of Revolver, a TV programme devoted to punk rock which was at odds with his 'studio factory' approach to pop music. Later career RAK sold out to EMI in 1983 but was revived in 1988. Most was one of the first producers to own the rights to his own records and RAK Studios, which opened in 1976 in St John's Wood, remains active. He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1981 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at BBC Broadcasting House in London. In 1995, Most's fortune was estimated at £50 million and he appeared in The Sunday Times annual Rich List among the Top 500 in England. His house, Montebello, in Totteridge Lane, London, was claimed to be the largest private home in the UK, worth an estimated £4 million. His production work diminished after he was diagnosed with cancer in 2000. Death On 30 May 2003, Most died at home aged 64 from possibly peritoneal mesothelioma, a complication of asbestosis. The investigative journalist Paul Foot thought it was probable that he contracted the cancer from ingesting fibres from vinyl tiles impregnated with asbestos, intended to improve soundproofing in recording studios. A blue plaque, to commemorate his life, donated by the Heritage Foundation/Musical Heritage, was unveiled at RAK Studios on 16 May 2004. The lunch and auction that followed raised £40,000 for research into mesothelioma. Discography Compilation albums Best of Mickie Most and His Playboys (1994) Lulu – To Sir with Love: The Complete Mickie Most Recordings (2005), EMI References External links Mickie Most's RAK Music Publishing 1938 births 2003 deaths Deaths from cancer in England Deaths from mesothelioma English music managers English record producers English songwriters English male singers Musicians from Aldershot 20th-century English businesspeople 20th-century British male singers British male songwriters Businesspeople from Aldershot