Renowned sports broadcaster Peter Sellers dies at 94

Peter Sellers. Photo by Peter McIntosh / Otago Daily Times

Renowned sports broadcaster Peter Sellers has died, aged 94.

Sellers became one of this country's most famous broadcaster during a 34-year career for Radio New Zealand.

Sports commentator Keith Quinn said Sellers died in a rest home in Dunedin last night.

Long-term friend and fellow broadcaster Quinn says he'd never married and was an only child so had no family.

He says he had a wide circle of friends but has outlived most of them, apart from a small group of mainly sports broadcasters.

Keith Quinn says Peter Sellers was a unique and wonderful character and a tremendous influence on fledgling young broadcasters.

Sellers interviewed many famous identities in his career, including Olympic gold medalist Mark Spitz, Australian and English cricketers Don Bradman and Fred Trueman, and Springboks coach Danie Craven.

He was known for his encyclopedic knowledge of all sports and colourful tongue.

In 1956, when swearing on air was a big no-no, he infamously blurted out on radio: "Bloody hell that's a lot of pies!"