BBC boss Avril MacRory dies ‘peacefully' aged 69 as heartbroken family pays tribute
Avril MacRory, who worked as the broadcaster's Head of Music Programmes, died peacefully at Royal Trinity Hospice in London earlier this month.
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Avril passed away peacefully earlier this month
Tributes have flooded in for the broadcasting star, with family and friends leaving heartwarming messages.
As well as her work at the BBC, she worked as executive producer for
She regarded the ITV show - now available on Netflix - as one of her "proudest pieces of work".
Posting about her tragic passing on social media, Avril's family said: "Avril passed away
this morning
, peacefully, at Royal Trinity Hospice.
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"Funeral arrangements will be announced when we have them to share.
"The funeral will be in London and so will be held in at least 10 days.
"Avril MacRory, 05/04/1956 - 14/07/2025. With love Val and Sam."
Writing on Facebook and sharing a photo, a friend hailed Avril's love for her family.
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They said: "
From our first meeting as students, everywhere I went, socially and professionally, I met people who knew Avril MacRory, in RTE, the BBC and
Channel 4
, mainly in music and the arts but could be anywhere.
"She died peacefully early
this morning
, and was absolutely Avril to the end.
"She will be missed by so many.
"Photograph shows some of her greatest loves, her father, her husband Val Griffin, son Sam, and Sid the dog, when they borrowed my late mother's house in Dalkey one Christmas."
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Another message said: "Sad to read of the death of Avril MacRory, who was well known for her charity work among the Irish in London.
"She was only in her late sixties. Sympathy to her husband, children and extended family."
Avril famously ran the Beeb's 28 hour coverage of the Millenium.
The event - deemed the biggest ever global broadcast - united dozens of international broadcasters as the world crossed into the 21st century.
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Speaking at the time, Avril said: "It was a moment when public television from around the world was able to come together.
"I don't think that can happen again."
Avril also served as co-executive producer of the Global Broadcaster Consortium.
She worked as an executive producer on 2004 documentary Shadowing the Third Man.
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It was awarded a Gold Medal at The Rome Film Festival in 2006 and was shown at the Cannes Film Festival a year earlier.
Avril hailed her appearance at the famous French festival as a "night to remember".
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Avril was the executive producer on popular ITV show Secret Diary of a Call Girl
Credit: Rex
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