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Daily Record
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Sir Tom Jones hails 'wonderful man' in tribute after beloved BBC star dies
The TV icon's family shared the sad news on Sunday that Alan had died at the age of 78 with a heartfelt statement. Sir Tom Jones has paid tribute to Alan Yentob after the legendary BBC executive and television presenter died over the weekend. The TV icon's family shared the sad news on Sunday that Alan had died at the age of 78 with a heartfelt statement. Sir Tom, 84, turned to social media to pay tribute to the "talented and knowledgeable" Alan. Posting to Instagram, the 'Delilah' singer wrote: "The very sad loss of Alan Yentob is immeasurable. What a talented, knowledgeable, instinctive and wonderful man. He opened unexpected doors for me for which I am forever grateful. A true rarity in the creative world, the likes of which will not be seen again." He concluded with the words: "Rest in peace Alan, you will be missed, Tom Jones". As reported by the Express, Tom made an appearance on Alan's prominent BBC Two programme 'Imagine', where, in a sincere exchange in 2010, the interviewer delved into the crooner's life story. Tom spoke about his rise from his modest roots as a miner's son in South Wales to his emergence as an international singing sensation and a symbol of virility. During his illustrious career, Alan depicted and chatted with a plethora of significant figures in culture and creativity for television series including 'Omnibus', 'Arena', and 'Imagine', featuring personalities such as David Bowie, Charles Saatchi, Maya Angelou, and Grayson Perry. His roles extended to being in charge of both BBC One and Two - and he also fulfilled duties as the corporation's creative director and head of music and arts. Alan's bereaved spouse, Philippa Walker, announced his passing, revealing: "For Jacob, Bella and I, every day with Alan held the promise of something unexpected. Our life was exciting, and he was exciting. "He was curious, funny, annoying, late, and creative in every cell of his body. But more than that, he was the kindest of men and a profoundly moral man. He leaves in his wake a trail of love a mile wide." Dawn French also paid tribute to her former BBC colleague Alan, writing: "We've lost a tip top chap. Our advocate from the start... Alan Yentob." Alan's wife Philippa said in a statement at the weekend: "For [our children ] Jacob, Bella and I every day with Alan held the promise of something unexpected. Our life was exciting, he was exciting. He was curious, funny, annoying, late and creative in every cell of his body. But more than that, he was the kindest of men and a profoundly moral man. He leaves in his wake a trail of love a mile wide."
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Sir Tom Jones pays heartfelt tribute to 'wonderful man' after beloved star dies
Sir Tom Jones has penned an emotional message after the death of the BBC executive and television presenter Alan Yentob, who sadly died at the age of 78 earlier this week Sir Tom Jones has paid a poignant homage to the legendary BBC executive and television presenter Alan Yentob, who died over the weekend. The TV icon's family shared the sad news on Sunday with an heartfelt statement, announcing that Alan had died at the age of 78. The 'Delilah' singer, 84, turned to social media to pay tribute to the "talented and knowledgeable" Alan. Posting to Instagram, Tom wrote: "The very sad loss of Alan Yentob is immeasurable. What a talented, knowledgeable, instinctive and wonderful man. He opened unexpected doors for me for which I am forever grateful. A true rarity in the creative world, the likes of which will not be seen again." He concluded with the words: "Rest in peace Alan, you will be missed, Tom Jones". In the past, Tom made an appearance on Alan's prominent BBC Two programme 'Imagine', where, in a sincere exchange in 2010, the interviewer delved into the crooner's life story, reports the Express. Tom spoke about his rise from his modest roots as a miner's son in South Wales to his emergence as an international singing sensation and a symbol of virility. During his illustrious career, Alan depicted and chatted with a plethora of significant figures in culture and creativity for television series including 'Omnibus', 'Arena', and 'Imagine', featuring personalities such as David Bowie, Charles Saatchi, Maya Angelou, and Grayson Perry. His roles extended to being in charge of both BBC One and Two, as well as fulfilling duties as the corporation's creative director and head of music and arts. Alan's bereaved spouse, Philippa Walker, announced his passing, revealing: "For Jacob, Bella and I, every day with Alan held the promise of something unexpected. Our life was exciting, and he was exciting. "He was curious, funny, annoying, late, and creative in every cell of his body. But more than that, he was the kindest of men and a profoundly moral man. He leaves in his wake a trail of love a mile wide." Dawn French also paid tribute to her former BBC colleague Alan, writing: "We've lost a tip top chap. Our advocate from the start... Alan Yentob." Alan's wife Philippa said in a statement at the weekend: "For [our children] Jacob, Bella and I every day with Alan held the promise of something unexpected. Our life was exciting, he was exciting. He was curious, funny, annoying, late and creative in every cell of his body. But more than that, he was the kindest of men and a profoundly moral man. He leaves in his wake a trail of love a mile wide."
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
BBC veteran Alan Yentob dies at 78
File photo: Alan Yentob (Picture credit: X/@MarioNawfal) Alan Yentob, a pioneering figure in British broadcasting and the creative force behind decades of acclaimed BBC content, has died aged 78, his family confirmed on Saturday. Yentob joined the BBC in 1968 as a trainee and went on to become one of its most influential and recognisable figures. His long career spanned roles including controller of BBC One and Two, head of music and arts, director of television, and the organisation's first creative director, a position he held for more than a decade. His wife, Philippa Walker, paid tribute, calling Yentob 'curious, funny, annoying, late and creative in every cell of his body,' and remembered him as 'the kindest of men and a profoundly moral man.' She added, 'Our life was exciting, he was exciting.' Yentob was widely celebrated for his contribution to arts programming. He edited and presented acclaimed series like Arena, Omnibus and Imagine, which profiled major cultural figures including David Bowie , Maya Angelou, Grayson Perry, and Charles Saatchi. His 1975 Omnibus documentary Cracked Actor, which followed a fragile but creatively explosive Bowie, remains one of his most iconic works. As per BBC, Yentob recalled it captured the singer at his 'most fragile and exhausted.' BBC director-general Tim Davie described Yentob as 'a creative force and a cultural visionary' whose 'passion wasn't performative – it was personal.' He added, 'To work with Alan was to be inspired and encouraged to think bigger. He believed in the power of culture to enrich, challenge and connect us.' According to The Guardian, Davie also said Yentob had 'a rare gift for identifying talent and lifting others up – a mentor and champion to so many across the worlds of television, film and theatre.' During his leadership at BBC Two from 1988, Yentob helped launch Absolutely Fabulous, Have I Got News for You and The Late Show. His work was influential in shaping the broadcaster's arts and comedy output, and he also helped develop children's channels CBBC and CBeebies. Born in London in 1947 into an Iraqi Jewish family, Yentob grew up in Greater Manchester and studied law at the University of Leeds. When he joined the BBC World Service, he was the only non-Oxbridge graduate among his peers that year, reported The Guardian. Yentob's career wasn't without controversy. In 2015, he resigned as the BBC's creative director amid scrutiny over his role as chairman of the charity Kids Company, which collapsed the same year. He denied any conflict of interest but admitted the coverage had become a 'serious distraction' for the broadcaster, according to the BBC. Despite this, he continued producing content and was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2024 for services to the arts and media. Tributes have poured in from colleagues and friends. Actress Dawn French posted a photo with Yentob and Jennifer Saunders, calling him 'our advocate from the start' and 'a tip top chap.' The Pet Shop Boys called him 'a legend in British TV' on social media, noting he was behind some of the BBC's 'finest programmes.' BBC Radio 4 presenter Amol Rajan called him 'a towering figure in the culture of post-war Britain' and described his shows as 'always brilliant, often masterpieces, sometimes seminal.' Rajan added: 'He oozed fortitude until the very last… one of the most generous, influential, singular, passionate, supportive, creative and loved men of his generation.' Yentob is survived by his wife, Philippa Walker, and their two children.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
BBC arts broadcaster Alan Yentob dies aged 78
Alan Yentob, the long-serving BBC arts broadcaster and documentary-maker, has died aged 78. Yentob profiled and interviewed a wide range of important cultural and creative figures over the years, including David Bowie, Charles Saatchi, Maya Angelou and Grayson Perry, for TV series such as Omnibus, Arena and Imagine. He also served as controller of BBC One and Two, and the organisation's creative director and head of music and arts during a long and varied career. Paying tribute to her late husband, Philippa Walker described Yentob as "curious, funny, annoying, late and creative in every cell of his body" and added that he was "the kindest of men". BBC director-general Tim Davie called him a "creative force and cultural visionary" who championed "originality, risk-taking and artistic ambition". He added: "To work with Alan was to be inspired and encouraged to think bigger. He had a rare gift for identifying talent and lifting others up - a mentor and champion to so many across the worlds of television, film and theatre. "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." Yentob was known for his connections in the entertainment industry, often befriending his famous film subjects who included music stars Jay-Z and Beyoncé, actors and filmmakers Orson Welles and Mel Brooks, and author Salman Rushdie. Synonymous with the BBC, Yentob was seen by viewers engaging in an arm wrestle with Rushdie while listening to opera in a scene taken from W1A - a sitcom which satirised life at the corporation. Yentob's famous 1975 Omnibus feature, Cracked Actor, about David Bowie, showed the drug-affected star opening up to him in the back of a limousine at an "intensely creative time", the filmmaker later recalled, but also at the singer's most "fragile and exhausted". Yentob became controller of BBC Two in 1988, making him one of the youngest channel controllers in the corporation's history. He oversaw a popular and influential period for the channel, with commissions such as hit sitcom Absolutely Fabulous - where his name was dropped into the dialogue of one episode as an in-joke Other shows launched during his tenure included The Late Show and Have I Got News for You. Yentob's success in the role saw him promoted to controller of BBC One from 1993 to 1997, before a stint as BBC television's overall director of programmes. He was announced as the corporation's creative director in 2004, a role he filled for more than a decade. But he continued to step in front of the camera to front more Imagine programmes, including the final episode of that series, a profile of comedic duo French & Saunders. His commissions also included a TV adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and children's channels CBBC and CBeebies. BBC Radio 4 Today presenter Amol Rajan paid tribute, saying: "He was such a unique and kind man: an improbable impresario from unlikely origins who became a towering figure in the culture of post-war Britain. "Modern art never had a more loyal ally. His shows were always brilliant, often masterpieces, sometimes seminal. So much of Britain's best TV over five decades came via his desk. That was public Alan. In private, he was magnetic, zealous, and very funny, with a mesmerising voice and mischievous chuckle." Yentob's long and successful career at the BBC was not without controversy. In 2015, he resigned from his role as the BBC's creative director, having faced scrutiny for his role, as chairman, in the financial mismanagement of the charity Kids Company. Yentob said the speculation over his conduct - which included claims he had tried to influence the BBC coverage of the charity's demise - had been "proving a serious distraction" when the BBC was in "particularly challenging times". But in the years that followed, he continued to make many more programmes for the broadcaster, and was subsequently appointed a CBE in 2024 for services to the arts and media. He is survived by his wife, TV producer Philippa Walker, and their two children.
Metro
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
BBC presenter Alan Yentob dies aged 78
BBC arts broadcaster and documentary-maker Alan Yentob has died aged 78. A statement from his family, released by the BBC, said Yentob sadly died on Saturday, May 24. Yentob interviewed the likes of David Bowie, Charles Saatchi, Maya Angelou and Grayson Perry for TV series such as Omnibus, Arena and Imagine during his long-serving career at the broadcaster. His wife, Philippa Walker, described Yentob as 'curious, funny, annoying, late and creative in every cell of his body', adding that he was 'the kindest of men'. She said: 'For Jacob, Bella and I every day with Alan held the promise of something unexpected. Our life was exciting, he was exciting. 'He was curious, funny, annoying, late and creative in every cell of his body. But more than that, he was the kindest of men and a profoundly moral man. He leaves in his wake a trail of love a mile wide.' During his tenure at BBC2, Yentob was credited with the commissions of shows like Absolutely Fabulous and Have I Got News For You, which later moved to BBC One. He also launched CBBC and CBeebies. More Trending Yentob joined the BBC in 1968 as a trainee at the World Service where he worked his way through the ranks to become the corporation's head of music and arts in 1985. In 1993 he became the official controller of BBC1. His drama commissions ranged from Middlemarch and Pride And Prejudice – which made actor Colin Firth a heartthrob – to Ballykissangel, while wielding an axe to the failing Spain-set soap Eldorado. He also presented shows for the BBC, including a series on the life of artist Leonardo da Vinci, starring Sir Mark Rylance, and a regular arts series, Imagine, from 2003. Yentob was appointed creative director, to oversee the BBC's creative strategy, in 2004 and he also served as chairman of the board of trustees for Kids Company, founded by Camila Batmanghelidjh, from 2003 until the collapse of the charity in 2015. MORE: My cousin sent a text that devastated me – I wish he'd called MORE: Doctor Who fans convinced they've worked out what shock villain is plotting MORE: Race Across the World fans share their biggest problem with new season
