Trivia

He was the Head of BBC Series and Serials (1983 - 1985), Head of BBC Drama (1985 - 1987) and Controller of BBC One (1987 - 1993).

He was involved (with BBC One Controller Michael Grade) in the attempted cancellation of Doctor Who (1963) in 1985, the corporation's longest running science-fiction series. He was Controller of BBC One when the series finally ended in 1989 after several years of poor ratings against Coronation Street (1960). The decision to cancel it was by Peter Cregeen, the new Head of Series.

As Controller of BBC One, he commissioned the disastrous (and hugely expensive) soap opera Eldorado (1992). He was replaced the following year by Alan Yentob.