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Magnús Magnússon KBE (IPA: [maknus maknusɔn], (12 October, 1929 – 7 January, 2007) was a television presenter, journalist, translator and writer, of Icelandic origin - who never took British citizenship but lived in Scotland for nearly all his life. He came to fame as presenter of the BBC television quiz programme Mastermind, which he hosted for 25 years.

He was born in Reykjavík but grew up in Edinburgh, where his father was Icelandic consul. Under Icelandic naming conventions, his name would have been Magnús Sigursteinsson (Magnús, son of Sigursteinn), but his family adopted Scottish naming conventions and used his father's last name. He was schooled at The Edinburgh Academy.

After graduating from Jesus College, Oxford, he became a reporter with the Scottish Daily Express and The Scotsman. He went freelance in 1967, then joined the BBC, presenting programmes on history and archaeology as well as appearing in news programmes. He was Rector of the University of Edinburgh from 1975 to 1978, and later became Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University.

His most famous catch-phrase on Mastermind, which the current presenter John Humphrys has continued to use, was "I've started so I'll finish".

He translated a variety of books from Icelandic and Old Norse into English. Among these are several works by Halldór Laxness, the Nobel prize winning novelist from Iceland, and a number of Norse sagas which he co-translated (with Hermann Pálsson) for the Penguin Classics series: Njal's Saga (1960), The Vinland Sagas (1965), King Harald's Saga (1966) and Laxdaela Saga (1969). Magnusson was also the author of a popular history of the Viking era, called The Vikings (revised edition, 2000).

Magnusson was, for a time, the President of the RSPB.

His eldest daughter, Sally Magnusson, is also a television presenter in Scotland.

On October 12, 2006 his 77th birthday, Magnusson was diagnosed with cancer. [1]. He died on 7 January 2007.[2]

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 '''Magnús Magnússon''' [[Order of the British Empire|KBE]] ({{IPA2|maknus maknusɔn}}, ([[12 October]], [[1929]] &ndash; [[7 January]], [[2007]]) was a [[television presenter]], journalist, translator and writer, of [[Iceland]]ic origin - who never took British citizenship but lived in Scotland for nearly all his life. He came to fame as presenter of the [[BBC]] television quiz programme ''[[Mastermind (TV series)|Mastermind]]'', which he hosted for 25 years.
-He was born in [[Reykjavík]] but grew up in [[Edinburgh]], where his father was Icelandic [[consul (representative)|consul]]. Under Icelandic naming conventions, his name would have been Magnús Sigursteinsson (Magnús, son of Sigursteinn), but his family adopted Scottish naming conventions and used his father's last name. He was schooled at The Edinburgh Academy.
+He was born in [[Reykjavík]] but grew up in [[Edinburgh]], where his father was Icelandic [[consul (representative)|consul]]. Under Icelandic naming conventions, his name would have been Magnús Sigursteinsson (Magnús, son of Sigursteinn), but his family adopted Scottish naming conventions and used his father's last name. He was schooled at The [[Edinburgh Academy]].
 After graduating from [[Jesus College, Oxford]], he became a reporter with the ''Scottish Daily Express'' and ''[[The Scotsman]]''. He went freelance in 1967, then joined the [[BBC]], presenting programmes on history and archaeology as well as appearing in news programmes. He was Rector of the [[University of Edinburgh]] from 1975 to 1978, and later became Chancellor of [[Glasgow Caledonian University]].