Sir William Frederick Cotton CBE was a British television producer and executive, and the son of big-band leader Billy Cotton.
Following a secondary education at the independent school Ardingly College, he joined BBC Television as an in-house producer of light entertainment programmes in 1956, working on various programmes such as his father's Billy Cotton Band Show and popular music programme Six-Five Special.
In 1970, Cotton was promoted to Head of Light Entertainment, following the death of Tom Sloan in May. In this position, Cotton was responsible for overseeing the production of a whole series of popular and iconic comedy programmes, including The Morecambe and Wise Show, Monty Python's Flying Circus, The Two Ronnies, Bruce Forsyth and the Generation Game and Look: Mike Yarwood.
Cotton's success as Head of Light Entertainment led to his promotion to Controller of BBC1, the Corporation's premier and the UK's oldest television station, in 1977.
In 1981, he was replaced as controller of BBC1 by Alan Hart and made the BBC's deputy managing director of television under Alasdair Milne. In 1984 Cotton was promoted to become managing director of Television, a role he fulfilled until his retirement from the Corporation in 1988.
Cotton subsequently did some freelance executive producing work in the light entertainment area and served as chairman of Noel Gay Television. He was deputy chairman of Meridian Broadcasting from 1992 to 1996, then chairman until 2001.
Cotton was a Vice-President of the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity. He received a BAFTA Fellowship Award in 1998. He was made a Knight Bachelor for his services to Television Broadcasting and Marie Curie Cancer Care in 2001. He had previously been appointed a CBE in 1989 and an OBE in 1976.
Following a secondary education at the independent school Ardingly College, he joined BBC Television as an in-house producer of light entertainment programmes in 1956, working on various programmes such as his father's Billy Cotton Band Show and popular music programme Six-Five Special.
In 1970, Cotton was promoted to Head of Light Entertainment, following the death of Tom Sloan in May. In this position, Cotton was responsible for overseeing the production of a whole series of popular and iconic comedy programmes, including The Morecambe and Wise Show, Monty Python's Flying Circus, The Two Ronnies, Bruce Forsyth and the Generation Game and Look: Mike Yarwood.
Cotton's success as Head of Light Entertainment led to his promotion to Controller of BBC1, the Corporation's premier and the UK's oldest television station, in 1977.
In 1981, he was replaced as controller of BBC1 by Alan Hart and made the BBC's deputy managing director of television under Alasdair Milne. In 1984 Cotton was promoted to become managing director of Television, a role he fulfilled until his retirement from the Corporation in 1988.
Cotton subsequently did some freelance executive producing work in the light entertainment area and served as chairman of Noel Gay Television. He was deputy chairman of Meridian Broadcasting from 1992 to 1996, then chairman until 2001.
Cotton was a Vice-President of the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity. He received a BAFTA Fellowship Award in 1998. He was made a Knight Bachelor for his services to Television Broadcasting and Marie Curie Cancer Care in 2001. He had previously been appointed a CBE in 1989 and an OBE in 1976.
Sir William Frederick Cotton CBE was a British television producer and executive, and the son of big-band leader Billy Cotton.
Following a secondary education at the independent school Ardingly College, he joined BBC Television as an in-house producer of light entertainment programmes in 1956, working on various programmes such as his father's Billy Cotton Band Show and popular music programme Six-Five Special.
In 1970, Cotton was promoted to Head of Light Entertainment, following the death of Tom Sloan in May. In this position, Cotton was responsible for overseeing the production of a whole series of popular and iconic comedy programmes, including The Morecambe and Wise Show, Monty Python's Flying Circus, The Two Ronnies, Bruce Forsyth and the Generation Game and Look: Mike Yarwood.
Cotton's success as Head of Light Entertainment led to his promotion to Controller of BBC1, the Corporation's premier and the UK's oldest television station, in 1977.
In 1981, he was replaced as controller of BBC1 by Alan Hart and made the BBC's deputy managing director of television under Alasdair Milne. In 1984 Cotton was promoted to become managing director of Television, a role he fulfilled until his retirement from the Corporation in 1988.
Cotton subsequently did some freelance executive producing work in the light entertainment area and served as chairman of Noel Gay Television. He was deputy chairman of Meridian Broadcasting from 1992 to 1996, then chairman until 2001.
Cotton was a Vice-President of the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity. He received a BAFTA Fellowship Award in 1998. He was made a Knight Bachelor for his services to Television Broadcasting and Marie Curie Cancer Care in 2001. He had previously been appointed a CBE in 1989 and an OBE in 1976.
Following a secondary education at the independent school Ardingly College, he joined BBC Television as an in-house producer of light entertainment programmes in 1956, working on various programmes such as his father's Billy Cotton Band Show and popular music programme Six-Five Special.
In 1970, Cotton was promoted to Head of Light Entertainment, following the death of Tom Sloan in May. In this position, Cotton was responsible for overseeing the production of a whole series of popular and iconic comedy programmes, including The Morecambe and Wise Show, Monty Python's Flying Circus, The Two Ronnies, Bruce Forsyth and the Generation Game and Look: Mike Yarwood.
Cotton's success as Head of Light Entertainment led to his promotion to Controller of BBC1, the Corporation's premier and the UK's oldest television station, in 1977.
In 1981, he was replaced as controller of BBC1 by Alan Hart and made the BBC's deputy managing director of television under Alasdair Milne. In 1984 Cotton was promoted to become managing director of Television, a role he fulfilled until his retirement from the Corporation in 1988.
Cotton subsequently did some freelance executive producing work in the light entertainment area and served as chairman of Noel Gay Television. He was deputy chairman of Meridian Broadcasting from 1992 to 1996, then chairman until 2001.
Cotton was a Vice-President of the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity. He received a BAFTA Fellowship Award in 1998. He was made a Knight Bachelor for his services to Television Broadcasting and Marie Curie Cancer Care in 2001. He had previously been appointed a CBE in 1989 and an OBE in 1976.
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William Frederick
"BILL" COTTON
Knight
23rd April 1928
11th August 2008
a Singular Man and
Broadcaster
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