In the early Sixties, while editing a local newspaper, Tony Bastable spotted an ad for a TV news reporter at Southern TV. He applied, but didn’t get the job. The station did, however, offer him the job of presenter on its children’s magazine programme. Within 18 months he was working at the national network station, ATV, first on children’s shows and then on sports magazine programmes.

In 1968 the newly-formed Thames Television asked him to be one of the three original presenters of the mould-breaking children’s magazine programme Magpie, which ITV saw as a much needed counter to the BBC’s Blue Peter. He presented the programme for four years before moving on to become the show’s producer. More knowing, more modern and somehow more grown-up than its BBC counterpart, Magpie was to become so popular that Bastable was still stopped in the street and asked “Are you the man from Magpie?” some 30 years later.

His career ranged far wider, however. He wrote and presented 1776, ITV’s celebration of the American bicentenary, hosted the controversial Problems?, a late-night personal relationship series, and wrote the commentaries for the award-winning English Gardenhistorical series, presented by Sir John Gielgud.

Subsequently, he presented Money-Go-Round, the consumer protection series, which ran for nine years, and was co-host of Drive-In, and its follow-on Wheels, which together ran for well over a decade. In Mind Over Matter, which he devised and presented with Dr Kit Pedler, British television saw the first scientific investigation of paranormal phenomena. He had the unusual distinction of being both editor and presenter of Thames TV’s Database through its four series and performed the same functions for its Channel 4 sister programme For Computer Buffs. In Could Do Better?, he tackled educational controversies and in People Rule, local politics.

His expertise lay in an ability to master the facts of a story very quickly, then to communicate them in a lucid and enthusiastic way, whether as writer, director or presenter, and often in a live environment.

This expertise proved particularly fruitful with the formation of his own production company in the 1980s, focusing on the market for corporate communications. He enjoyed long-term relationships with clients such as the National Bus Company, the Royal Navy, the Department of Transport and the Institute of Advanced Motorists. But his biggest client was the Ford Motor Company, for whom he wrote and directed new vehicle promotional films for many years.

Away from work, his great passion was cricket. In 1972 he co-founded The Magpies, a nomadic cricket club that originated from the TV programme, together with assorted friends. His passion for the game, and his innate sense of fair play, inspired many like-minded enthusiasts to play for the club. He, at various times, had taken on the roles of secretary, captain and president, duties that he carried out assiduously.

He was always the first to highlight any shortcomings in his own play, with typical humour. Nothing, however, could dampen his enthusiasm. His old-fashioned belief that playing the game was more important than results is enshrined in the club’s constitution.

As his physical ability to play cricket lessened, he took to administering the sport. He was a qualified umpire, and in latter years was working closely with the Institute of Cricket Umpires & Scorers.

He was also a published author, with two books for young people to his credit, and had written the book and lyrics for a musical and the libretto for an oratorio.

In his spare time he liked books, old movies and messing about with his classic Morgan sports car.

He is survived by his wife, Anita, a daughter and two stepchildren.

Tony Bastable, television presenter, writer and producer, was born on October 15, 1944. He died of a respiratory illness on May 29, 2007, aged 62