BBC LEGEND SIR PAUL FOX WHO LAUNCHED SHOWS IN 'GOLDEN ERA OF TV' DIES AGED 98

Sir Paul Fox, a TV executive who was behind several of the BBC’s most celebrated TV programmes including Dad’s Army and The Two Ronnies, has died aged 98.

The broadcaster was informed of Sir Paul’s death by his family.

In a statement, BBC Director General paid tribute to the former BBC1 Controller’s enduring legacy, outlining that he had a ‘towering career in television – not just with the BBC – but across the industry’.

‘Few people have had such a broad and lasting impact on the TV landscape, commissioning shows that audiences have loved for decades and still love,’ Davie said.

‘From Sports Personality of the Year and Panorama to the Two Ronnies, Dad’s Army and Parkinson, his legacy is unmatched.’

The BBC boss continued: ‘He was one of the best TV executives from a golden era in television. He will be hugely missed.’

Born on October 27 1925, before launching his career in television, Sir Paul served in the Parachute Regiment of the Army between 1943 and 1946.

He joined the BBC in the 1950s, working as a newsreel scriptwriter.

He went on to edit the TV programmes Sportsview and Panorama, before coming up with the idea for Sports Personality of the Year.

After SPOTY began 70 years ago in 1954, Sir Paul became the Controller of BBC1 between 1967 and 1973.

During that time, he launched the iconic TV series Dad’s Army, which ran from 1968 until 1977, and saw two films released in 1971 and 2016.

He also commissioned programmes including the Parkinson talk show, The Two Ronnies and Bruce Forsyth and the Generation Game.

As well as being a formidable presence at the BBC, Sir Paul also left his park on Yorkshire Television and ITN, before retiring at the BBC at the age of 65 in 1991.

Television producer Richard Marson paid tribute to Sir Paul on X, saying that he ‘deserved the overused term “legend”.

‘He was a broadcasting Titan. On a personal note, he contributed to several projects of mine – from the TV Centre doc to the biographies of Verity Lambert and Biddy Baxter. Razor sharp, acerbic, wise and kind,’ he wrote.

William Gallagher, deputy chair of the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, also shared: ‘Sir Paul Fox has died. I interviewed him for my book on The Beiderbecke Affair and he was so open, funny, and fascinating.’

Writer and producer Gail Renard added: ‘RIP Paul Fox; a man who understood both television and creatives. Under his watch, both flourished.’

A documentary producer going by the handle @lecrin also wrote: ‘Sir Paul Fox has died at the age of 98. My favourite boss when he was the Managing Director at Yorkshire Television.

‘He made that ITV company greater than it had ever been. As a former programme maker, (he put ‘Grandstand’ on TV) Paul Fox backed his producers.’

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