Sir Bill Cotton dies aged 80

Sir Bill Cotton, former BBC Head of Light Entertainment and controller of BBC One, has passed away at the age of 80.

In the world of comedy, Cotton is probably best known for overseeing the production of some of Britain's most loved comedy series. Monty Python's Flying Circus, The Two Ronnies and Morecambe and Wise were just some of the shows made when he was Head of Light Entertainment between 1970 and 1977.

He was also controller of BBC One between 1977 and 1981, and oversaw some of the channel's highest viewing figures, although this was partly helped by a strike at ITV in 1979. He then became the Managing Director of Television until his retirement from the BBC in 1987. Cotton received a BAFTA fellowship award in 1998, a CBE in 2001, and then his knighthood. He was also Vice President of Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Bruce Forsyth says Cotton was "a very dear friend. It's a very sad day to lose him. He knew about the business. He knew about television."

Dad's Army writer David Croft has added that Sir Bill was the "master jeweller" in the "golden age" of television. Croft also pointed out that there had been opposition to creating his and Jimmy Perry's Home Guard comedy, because of fears it would cause offence, and that without Cotton's support it was unlikely to have ever become the hit it eventually was.

Croft said: "Without him I don't think the show would have gone on. He undoubtedly had a nose for a hit. He was a wonderful showman and a great believer in his producers and he backed us absolutely to the hilt. He was an entrepreneur, he was a showman, and there's not many of his type about any more, I'm afraid. We shall miss him terribly."