superior and the Director of Programming, was dismissed. On the Move (1975–76), a programme linked to a national campaign to promote adult literacy, was written by Took and featured Bob Hoskins and Donald Gee. He was involved in two further television series on the issue, Your Move and Write Away. In 1977 Took hosted his own comedy sketch show, Took and Co. Also featuring Robin Bailey, Chris Emmett, Andrew Sachs and Gwen Taylor, the series ran for seven episodes late at night on ITV. In 1979 he became chairman of The News Quiz on BBC Radio 4, a role he filled until 1981 and again from 1986 to 1995. In the same year he became a presenter of Points of View, staying with the programme for 7½ years. Took also hosted the BBC Radio 2 comedy panel game The Impressionists, which included Peter Goodwright, Roger Kitter, David Jason and Dave Evans and, in 1998, the single-series revival of Twenty Questions titled Guess What?. He had seven books published, including his autobiography and several histories of comedy. He also wrote Kenneth Williams's life story for the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography in 1996. Personal life and final years During his time with the Royal Air Force he met his first wife, Dorothy "Dot" Bird, who was serving in the Women's Royal Air Force. They married in 1950 and had three children (Barry, Susan and David), but were later divorced. In 1964 he married Lynden "Lyn" Leonard, this second marriage resulting in a daughter named Elinor. The couple separated in 1999 and eventually divorced. He also spoke publicly about his experiences with depression and undergoing extensive psychotherapy for several years. After suffering from bladder cancer during the 1970s, in 1999 he was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus, and suffered a stroke four weeks after undergoing major surgery. He died on Easter Sunday 2002, aged 73, in a nursing home in Enfield. Autobiography A Point of View (1990) References External links Barry Took – Comedy Zone BBC News article reporting his death 1928 births 2002 deaths 20th-century English comedians 20th-century Royal Air Force personnel Deaths from cancer in England Deaths from esophageal cancer English male comedians English radio personalities English radio writers English television personalities People educated at the Stationers' Company's School People from Muswell Hill People from Wisbech People from Wood Green