He was born in Berlin, a grandson of Sigmund Freud and brother of Lucian Freud.
He was already a celebrity before he went into politics, and was a well-known face from dog food adverts, in which he co-starred with a bloodhound who shared his "hangdog" expression.
He was Liberal MP for the Isle of Ely (later North-East Cambridgeshire) from 1973 to 1987. His departure from Parliament was marked by a knighthood.
He is now best known as a panellist on Just a Minute, where his deadpan delivery is popular with audiences but his determination to win gets mixed responses from other participants.