David Frost.

David Paradine Frost was born on April 7, 1939 in Tenterden, Kent, England to the Rev. Wilfred John Paradine Frost and Maude Evelyn Aldrich. His father was a clergyman, and the family lived in a rectory. Frost attended St Hugh’s School in Woodhall Spa and later the Howard School. He went up to Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge, where he edited a student newspaper and a literary publication, displaying an early talent for satire.

Frost’s career took off in 1962 when he joined the BBC satirical programme That Was the Week That Was, which made him a household name in Britain. He hosted multiple shows across ITV and BBC, including Frost on Friday, Frost on Saturday, and Frost on Sunday, while simultaneously hosting The David Frost Show in the United States. He interviewed every US president from Richard Nixon to George W. Bush and every British prime minister from Harold Wilson to Tony Blair. His 1977 interview series with former President Nixon was later dramatized in the film Frost/Nixon. Frost also presented Breakfast with Frost 1993–2005 and the game show Through the Keyhole. He was awarded the OBE in 1970 and knighted in 1993.

Frost married actress Lynne Frederick in 1981, but the marriage ended in divorce after six months. In 1983 he married Lady Carina Fitzalan‑Howard, with whom he had three sons: Miles, Wilfred, and George. He owned multiple properties including a Georgian townhouse in Knightsbridge, a cottage in Norfolk, and a hotel suite in New York. He died of a heart attack on August 31, 2013 while aboard the Cunard cruise ship Queen Elizabeth, just hours after setting sail from Southampton. A memorial service was held at Westminster Abbey on March 13, 2014.

David Frost’s interviews with seven US presidents and six UK prime ministers set a new standard for political journalism. His 1977 interviews with Richard Nixon remain a landmark in broadcast history, later adapted into the film Frost/Nixon. His style inspired later broadcasters such as Michael Parkinson and Larry King. He received numerous awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award, the International Emmy Founders Award, and an honorary doctorate from the University of Sussex. A memorial service at Westminster Abbey attested to his national stature. Frost held power to account with wit and persistence.