David Hatch

For the rugby league footballer of the same name, see David Hatch (rugby league)

Sir David Hatch (7 May 1939 – 13 June 2007)^[1][2] was involved in production and management at BBC Radio, where he held many executive positions, including Head of Light Entertainment (Radio), Controller of BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 4 and later Managing Director of BBC Radio.

Education

He attended St John's School, Leatherhead and Queens' College, Cambridge, where he was also a member of the Cambridge Footlights Club. He was a member of the cast of the 1963 Footlights revue A Clump of Plinths, which was so successful during its run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe that the revue transferred to the West End of London under the title of Cambridge Circus and later taken on tour to both New Zealand and Broadway in September 1964.

BBC work

A BBC Radio production of Cambridge Circus, titled I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again, launched many of the show's cast, including Hatch, into a radio comedy series of the same name. Hatch later co-devised the satirical show Week Ending and produced other comedy radio shows such as Just a Minute, Hello, Cheeky!, The Burkiss Way, Doctor At Large, Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves, Brothers in Law, All Gas and Gaiters, The Frankie Howerd Show (1974), and I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue. He then moved on to executive positions in the BBC, creating the original Radio 5.

Later career

Hatch left the Corporation and became Chairman of the National Consumer Council (1996–2000) and later of the Parole Board (2000-4) for England and Wales, for which he was knighted in 2003. In the later role he caused consternation in some quarters in 2003 for describing Tony Martin, the farmer convicted of manslaughter, as a "very dangerous man" in a Times interview.^[3][4]

Hatch was also the chairman of SSVC (the Services Sound and Vision Corporation) between 1999 and 2004. After retiring he retained the position of Life Vice-President on the SSVC Board of Trustees. SSVC operates many facilities on behalf of the MoD including BFBS Radio and TV.

David is a Fellow of The Radio Academy ^[5].

Presenting

Hatch was regular chairman of radio panel quiz game Wireless Wise (1999–2003), made for Radio 4 by Testbed Productions, and presented or spoken in other programmes which included an edition of Radio Heads (2003), a three-hour omnibus collection of his radio programmes on BBC 7, and a Radio 4 Archive Hour (2006) celebration of the BBC's Broadcasting House building in London.

References

1. ^ Obituary, Daily Telegraph, 17 June 2007. Retrieved on 18 June 2007.
2. ^ Obituary, "Just a Minute" site
3. ^ "Tony Martin is a dangerous man, says parole chief", The Times, 27 May 2003. Retrieved on 16 June 2007.
4. ^ "Tony Martin 'a dangerous man'", BBC News, 27 May 2003. Retrieved on 16 June 2007.
5. ^ The Radio Academy "Fellows"

• Wilmut, Roger (1980). From Fringe to Flying Circus – celebrating a unique generation of comedy 1960-1980. London: Eyre Methuen Ltd. ISBN 0-413-46950-6. 
• Hewison, Robert (1983). Footlights! – a hundred years of Cambridge comedy. Methuen London Ltd. ISBN 0-413-51150-2. 

External links

• David Hatch at the Internet Broadway Database
• Radio performer Hatch dies at 68 BBC News
• The Independent Obituary