Legendary arts broadcaster Alan Yentob dies aged 78
25 May 2025, 14:22
Legendary arts broadcaster and documentarian Alan Yentob has died aged 78.
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Yentob profiled and interviewed a vast array cultural and creative icons over the course of of his career, from David Bowie and Charles Saatchi to Maya Angelou and Grayson Perry.
He worked as creative director and head of music and arts for BBC One and BBC Two. He joined the organisation as a trainee in 1968 and held a number of different roles throughout his long career.
In a tribute, his wife Philippa Walker described him as "curious, funny, annoying, late and creative in every cell of his body," adding that he was "the kindest of men".
The arts figure was renowned for his links in the entertainment industry, often becoming close with his film subjects, who also included A-listers like Jay-Z and Beyoncé.
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He also helped to launch CBBC and CBeebies, with his drama commissions including Pride And Prejudice and Middlemarch when he was director of BBC drama, entertainment, and children's TV.
Tim Davie, the BBC's director-general, said in a tribute: "Alan Yentob was a towering figure in British broadcasting and the arts. A creative force and a cultural visionary, he shaped decades of programming at the BBC and beyond, with a passion for storytelling and public service that leave a lasting legacy.
"Above all, Alan was a true original. His passion wasn't performative - it was personal. He believed in the power of culture to enrich, challenge and connect us.
"BBC Radio 4 presenter Amol Rajan described him on Instagram as "such a unique and kind man: an improbable impresario from unlikely origins who became a towering figure in the culture of post-war Britain."I commend his spirit to the living."
