I met Jack Hargreaves a couple of time. Miserable old bugger ... thought he knew everything there was to know on any subject that came up. He "made his name" as presenter of "Out of Town" a programme initially on Southern ITV that had him sitting in a mock up shed discoursing on "Country Life and Pursuits" based on his personal experience as a "Countryman born and bred". The Prog ran for 25 years.
In truth he was a London born, failed veterinary student who managed to gain employment as a journalist and by some judicious share purchasing ended up a director of the new Southern ITV franchise. That particular outfit specialised in "Local Programmes" and "Country Matters" and as a director the boring old fart was ideally placed to ACT out his part without anyone daring to tell him the truth. From that he "graduated" to HOW!
I recall my father and I encountered him on one occasion in a pub, close to his home in the New Forest, where he argued with us about angling matters and when it was clear that he had lost the debate he stomped off. The Landlord told us that he was always argumentative, miserable and seldom settled his tab! The only reason he was tolerated was that his local "celebrity" drew extra customers.
PS Anyone interested in the old fart's sanitised biog can read the potted version at:
http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/outoftown.htm
