Magnus Magnusson (born Magnús Sigursteinsson; 12 October 1929 – 7 January 2007) was an Icelandic-born Scottish journalist, translator, writer and television presenter. Born in Reykjavík, he lived in Scotland for almost all his life, although he never took British citizenship. He came to prominence as a BBC television journalist and was the presenter of the BBC television quiz programme Mastermind for 25 years.
Magnús Sigursteinsson was born in Reykjavík on 12 October 1929. When he was nine months old he moved to Edinburgh, following the appointment of his father, Sigursteinn Magnússon, as European manager of the Icelandic Co-op. In Scotland his family adopted a British naming convention, and from childhood Magnus used his father's patronymic as a surname.
Magnusson lived with his family in John Street, Portobello, in Edinburgh's east. He was educated at the Edinburgh Academy, where he was in the school's marching brass band, and at Jesus College, Oxford.
After graduating from Oxford Magnusson became a reporter with the Scottish Daily Express and The Scotsman. Between 1962 and 1964 he edited the Saltire Society's magazine New Saltire. He went freelance in 1967, then joined the BBC. In 1968 he appeared as a storyteller in five episodes of the BBC children's programme Jackanory, narrating English translations of 'Stories from Iceland'. He presented programmes on history and archaeology including Chronicle and BC The Archaeology of the Bible Lands, and appeared in news programmes. In later years Magnusson wrote for the New Statesman.
Magnusson presented the long-running quiz show Mastermind from 1972 to 1997 on BBC1. His catchphrase "I've started, so I'll finish", which his successors continued to use, was said whenever the time for questioning a contestant ran out while he was reading a question on the show. Magnusson made cameo appearances as himself, hosting Mastermind in Morecambe and Wise as well as the children's series Dizzy Heights and as Magnus Magnesium in The Goodies episode "Frankenfido". He also used his Mastermind catchphrase in a television advertisement for cheese.
Magnusson ended his 25-year run hosting Mastermind in September 1997, and the original black chair was given to him at the end of the production, passing to his daughter Sally Magnusson after his death.
Magnusson later returned to present a one-off celebrity special, originally broadcast on 30 December 2002 on BBC Two, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first ever Mastermind final. This was a precursor to the main show returning to the BBC with Humphrys as host. Shortly before his death, Magnusson returned to the regular Mastermind series to present the trophy to the 2006 champion Geoff Thomas. Sally Magnusson presented the trophy to the next series winner, David Clark, while also paying tribute to her father and his legacy to the show.
Magnusson was appointed Chair of the environmental agency Scottish Natural Heritage from its establishment in 1991 by the Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Lang, and served in that role until 21 March 1999. In 1992 and 1993 he chaired the Cairngorms Working Party. From September 1994 he chaired the Paths for All Partnership.
Scotland: The Story of a Nation
The Clacken and the Slate (The Edinburgh Academy, 1824 – 1974)
BC: The Archaeology of the Bible Lands
Landlord or Tenant?: A View of Irish History
Lindisfarne: The Cradle Island
Reader's Digest Book of Facts (ed.)
Chambers Biographical Dictionary (ed., 5th edition)
Fakers, Forgers and Phoneys: Famous Scams and Scamps
Magnusson translated or co-translated a variety of books from modern Icelandic and Old Norse into English. Among these are several works by Halldór Laxness, the Nobel Prize-winning novelist from Iceland, as well as a number of Norse sagas, which he co-translated (with Hermann Pálsson) for Penguin Classics: Njal's Saga (1960), The Vinland Sagas (1965), King Harald's Saga (1966) and Laxdæla Saga (1969).
Magnusson was given the honorary award of Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1989.