Vale: Peter de Visser

Musical Director Peter de Visser, best known for Hey Hey it’s Saturday, has died.

Host Daryl Somers posted on Facebook, “I was very sad to hear of the recent passing of Peter de Visser, a much loved member of the Hey Hey family. Pete was our Musical Director from 1985 – 1990, but more than that he had a quirky sense of humour that befitted the show.

“Quiet and unassuming, he was also caring, which belied his enormous talent as a musician, brilliant trombonist, arranger and composer.

“He always had the best musos at hand because live tele in those days demanded it. I used Pete as MD because we went back to when I started at GTV9 and was singing on the various variety shows in the early 1970s. He was musical co-ordinator, doing all the hard yards of arranging and organising copying on The Daryl Somers Show in 1982/83. He was an indispensable asset for my Musical Director at the time, the great Geoff Harvey.”

He added, “Our sympathies to Peter’s family and friends who will be left with happy memories of his time with us. May he rest in peace. Daryl.