My buddy Ashley Hill, who has died aged 80, was some of the admired planners and schedulers within the tv enterprise, selecting programmes to fee or purchase after which deciding when and the place they need to be proven.
These two jobs convey no display credit however are vastly essential by way of shaping a TV channel’s output. This Ashley did first at BBC Two and later at British Satellite tv for pc Broadcasting (BSB), Channel 4 and Channel 5. Michael Grade, the previous chief govt of Channel 4, no imply scheduler himself, was amongst Ashley’s many admirers, and felt he was top-of-the-line within the enterprise.
Ashley was born in Cardiff to Charles Hill, who, with the assistance of his spouse, Eileen (nee Tremlett), was a farmer, butcher and publican. Ashley went to Howardian highschool for boys in Cardiff, then graduated with a regulation diploma from UCL, the place he met Pauline Conran, an administrative assistant there. They married in 1968.
After commencement Ashley joined Granada TV as a researcher. In 1970 he grew to become a graduate administration trainee on the BBC, and by 1978 had been appointed as a planning supervisor at BBC Two, the place we labored collectively. In 1984 he grew to become head of planning there, taking on from me after I was promoted. At BBC Two Ashley was influential within the commissioning and scheduling of an excellent combination of drama, music, artwork and documentaries, together with Shock of the New, The Younger Ones, Not the 9 O’Clock Information and the channel’s substantial protection of snooker.
In 1988 he moved to BSB as a senior planner, then to Channel 4 in 1991 as head of programme planning. Lastly, in 1997, he grew to become director of broadcasting at Channel 5, the place he stayed till retiring in 2004.
Ashley’s success – in his profession as in his private life – was right down to a combination of heat, enjoyable, frequent sense and integrity that endeared him to so many. He loved life – and particularly wine, meals, theatre and cricket. Usually the rain affected cricket matches we went to have been essentially the most pleasurable as a result of the chat with him was so good.
He’s survived by Pauline, their three sons, Christopher, Stephen and Peter, and 5 grandchildren.
