Biographies

For a time, Britain's most controversial comedian, regularly provoking outrage, indignation and a flood of complaints to the BBC's switchboard.

Gerry Anderson created a world of children's characters that stand tall alongside the giants of the literary world. Like Alice, Snow White and Mary Poppins, Anderson's characters are simply timeless in their appeal.

A veteran of the classic British Music-Hall, Askey's trademark brand of quick-fire humour and masterly use of the ad-lib won him generations of fans.

Where British television had once been staid and predictable Baker and Berman's series helped establish a new formula for fast paced action packed adventures.

Best known as Inspector Wexford in The Ruth Rendell Mysteries, George Baker was the man Ian Fleming wanted to play James Bond.

Called "one of Britain's last great eccentrics", Tom Baker became the quintessential hero to millions of Doctor Who fans in over seventy countries. As he reaches the grand old age of eighty six, his association with the series that bought him adoring fans all round the world shows no sign of dissipating.

Primarily remembered as Mr. Lucas in the hit sitcom 'Are You Being Served?', Trevor Bannister's body of work in both television and theatre was extraordinary.

"Ronnie Barker will be numbered amongst a select band of comedy greats who shaped British comedy in the 20th century."

Stanley Baxter's spectacular musical-comedy specials, reminiscent of Hollywood's best extravaganzas, were so flamboyant and proved to be so costly that Baxter was sacked not from just one, but two TV channels, who simply couldn't afford to keep him.

One of the founding fathers of Independent Television, Sidney Bernstein managed, in a small amount of time, to stamp his indelible imprint on British television to create a multi-million pound empire that thrives today.