Alan Yentob, who has died aged 78, joined the BBC as a trainee in 1968 and never left. Not because he couldn’t. But because he didn’t want to. He believed passionately in the power of culture to enrich society and thought the BBC was the perfect vehicle for that vision.
Like Sir David Attenborough before him, Yentob was both a top executive and a presenter – an unusual mix in any generation.
He was born in Stepney, London, in 1947, the son of Jewish immigrants from Iraq. The family moved to Manchester but when he was 12, they moved back to London to live in Park Lane. Although Alan was expected to join his twin brother in the family textile business, he went to Leeds University to study law. In 1968 he applied to be a trainee in the World Service and was the only non-Oxbridge graduate of that year. He moved to television two years later as Assistant Director in Music and Arts.
Alan remained in Music and Arts for nearly twenty years and eventually became its Head in 1985. His Omnibus film ‘Cracked Actor’, a profile of David Bowie broke conventions with its approach. This led to the ground-breaking Arts series ‘Arena’ which he helped to initiate. He became its Editor in 1978 and commissioned many unconventional films like ‘Chelsea Hotel’, ‘My Way’ and ‘The Private Life of the Ford Cortina’.
Alan’s move into BBC Television Management came in 1988 when he became controller of BBC Two. Whilst there he commissioned programmes like The Late Show, Have I Got News For You and Absolutely Fabulous. His success saw him promoted to controller of BBC One from 1993 to 1997 before becoming BBC Television’s overall Director of Programmes. During his time in charge of BBC One and Two he took chances with his commissions. He let Jennifer Saunders rip with Absolutely Fabulous, brought Nick Park to a national audience with Wallace and Gromit and gave a little-known motoring journalist Jeremy Clarkson his first main television experience presenting Top Gear. Whilst they proved popular with audiences, his decision to cancel the BBC One soap ‘Eldorado’, was controversial due to its multi-million pound cost. He believed that ‘creaky plots and poor sound’ were damaging to the network and the BBC’s reputation.
Whilst working behind the scenes Alan had, occasionally, appeared in programmes for Omnibus and Arena. In 2003 he became the presenter of a new Arts series, ‘Imagine’. During this time, he became familiar to viewers and drew on his vast list of contacts and friends like Mel Brooks and Billy Connolly to produce and present the series which has run for twenty years.
There have been many tributes to Alan since his death. One of the most heartfelt came from Philippa Walker, his wife, when she described him as ‘curious, funny, annoying, late and creative in every cell of his body. He was also the kindest of men.’
A description of Alan’s contribution to the BBC and arts and culture came from the DG Tim Davie who called him ‘a creative force and cultural visionary who championed originality, risk-taking and artistic ambition. To work with Alan was to be inspired and encouraged to think bigger.’
At times, he was surrounded by controversy but always eager to push boundaries. He finally entered into the Establishment last year when he was awarded the CBE for services to the arts and media. He has been called ‘One of the most influential broadcasters and TV executives of the last 50 years’. Alan leaves a lasting legacy of his films and the inspiration he provided for the next generation.
Colin Sykes
Christina Hamilton
