Sir David Frost has died from a heart attack at the age of age of 74
He had been giving a speech on the Queen Elizabeth on Saturday
Forced President Nixon to admit involvement in Watergate Scandal
Has been described a 'fearsome interviewer' by David Cameron
Sir Michael Parkinson said he 'never said a nasty word' about anyone

Veteran broadcaster Sir David Frost has died at the age of 74 after a heart attack while on board a cruise ship.

A family statement said he was aboard the Queen Elizabeth on Saturday night where he was to give a speech.

Sir David's career spanned journalism, comedy writing and daytime television presenting, including The Frost Report.

Internationally, he will be remembered for his revealing interviews with former US President Richard Nixon.

A statement said: "His family are devastated and ask for privacy at this difficult time. A family funeral will be held in the near future and details of a memorial service will be announced in due course."

The BBC's Barney Jones edited his Breakfast with Frost programme on the BBC for more than 10 years.

Of his friend and colleague, he said: "David loved broadcasting, did it brilliantly for more than 50 years and was eagerly looking forward to a host of projects - including interviewing the prime minister next week - before his sudden and tragic death. We will all miss him enormously."

Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Sir David was an extraordinary man, with charm, wit, talent, intelligence and warmth in equal measure.

"He made a huge impact on television and politics."

Hello, good evening....
Born in Kent, Sir David studied at Cambridge University where he became secretary of the Footlights club, and met future comedy greats such as Peter Cook, Graham Chapman and John Bird.

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He so effortlessly roamed all across the piste... from comedy to current affairs to light entertainment for 50 years”

Loyd Grossman
After university he went to work at ITV before he was asked to front the BBC programme That Was The Week That Was, which ran between 1962 and 1963.

Casting a satirical eye over the week's news, the show boasted scriptwriters including John Cleese, John Betjeman and Dennis Potter.

The Frost Report brought together John Cleese, Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett in a sketch show which would influence many comedy writers including the Monty Python crew.

Sir David's often-mimicked catchphrase "hello, good evening and welcome" was by now in full use.

One of The Frost Report's most enduring pieces was the "class sketch", featuring Cleese, Barker and Corbett.

The Frost Programme for ITV followed, which saw Sir David move away from comedy into in-depth interviews with political figures, royalty and celebrities.

It was on this programme that he had a terse interview with then prime minister Margaret Thatcher over the sinking of the Argentine cruiser Belgrano during the Falklands conflict.

At the same time, Sir David began work on The David Frost Show in the US.

He later conducted a series of interviews with Mr Nixon, who had resigned the presidency two years earlier, in which the former president came close to apologising to the public for his role in the Watergate scandal.

Their exchanges were eventually made into the film Frost/Nixon - based on a play - which saw Michael Sheen portray Sir David Frost to Frank Langella's Nixon. Sir David himself appeared at the premiere of the film in 2008.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23920336

Veteran broadcaster Sir David Frost has died of a heart attack at 74. Pictured with wife Carin

His interview with the doomed American President 'Tricky Dicky' Richard Nixon in 1977 was a TV classic.

'Frost over the world' with David Frost... I think it's on CNN that I heard that last. He was a Great man, though I never watched his program. RIP.