John Lloyd receives 'outstanding contribution to broadcasting' award
- John Lloyd has won the Broadcasting Press Guild's outstanding contribution award
- The producer has worked on shows including The News Quiz, Blackadder, Spitting Image and QI
- Other winners at the BPG Awards 2016 include Catastrophe, Car Share and John Finnemore
John Lloyd has received an "outstanding contribution to broadcasting" award.
The comedy producer was honoured at last night's Broadcasting Press Guild awards for his long track record of developing hit shows.
The BPG Awards, which are decided by journalists who write about TV and radio, bestowed Lloyd with the Harvey Lee Award.
The organisers say: "The Harvey Lee award for an outstanding contribution to broadcasting, which is in the gift of the BPG executive committee, recognises the comedy writer, producer and presenter John Lloyd. He has created many of Britain's most innovative and enduring comedy series on radio and television, including The News Quiz, The News Huddlines, Quote Unquote, To The Manor Born, Not The Nine O'Clock News, Blackadder, Spitting Image and QI."
Lloyd started his comedy career whilst working for BBC Radio in the 1970s. His early successes included creating The News Huddlines and The News Quiz, the latter of which has run for nearly 90 series to date.
During his time with BBC Radio he also worked on the legendary sci-fi comedy The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, including co-writing two episodes of the first series with creator Douglas Adams.
At the end of the 1970s, Lloyd switched to TV where he helped create the hugely successful sketch show Not The Nine O'Clock News and satirical puppet comedy Spitting Image.
In 1983 he started work on Blackadder and went on to produce all four series of the comedy. It is now widely regarded as one of the UK's best ever sitcoms.
In the mid-1980s he turned his attentions to working as a TV commercials director, however he still produced a number of TV and radio shows, including helping to develop Have I Got News For You. Lloyd hosted the non-broadcast pilot episode of the format which, at that point, was titled John Lloyd's Newsround.
In 2003 he launched QI, the BBC panel show fronted by Stephen Fry. The programme was an instant hit, and a 14th series (with new host Sandi Toksvig) is now being filmed.
Lloyd, who was awarded a CBE in 2011 for his broadcasting work, is currently acting as host on Radio 4 panel show The Museum Of Curiosity. The format, which has been on air since 2007, has recently completed its 8th series.
Elsewhere in the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards, Channel 4 sitcom Catastrophe added yet more prizes to its growing list of award wins. The show was named Best Comedy, whilst creators Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney took home the writing prize.
Peter Kay's Car Share was the recipient of the 'Best made for online' award, whilst John Finnemore won 'Radio broadcaster of the year' for John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme.