Stuart Prebble, the former TV producer, ITV chief executive and author, has died, aged 74.
Prebble joined the BBC as a graduate trainee journalist and on-screen reporter, going on to produce and edit ITV’s investigative current affairs World In Action series. He became head of factual programmes at Granada and ITV’s first Commissioning Editor for Factual programmes.
Prebble became Chief Executive of ITV in 2001.
He left ITV in 2002 to set up an independent production company, Liberty Bell, where he originated and produced shows like the (various) Grumpies, Three Men in a Boat, the Alastair Campbell Diaries. He sold Liberty Bell to Avalon in 2011.
Twelve years ago he joined with friends to establish StoryVault Films, producers of shows including Portrait Artist of the Year and Landscape Artist of the Year.
Stuart was also a writer and published five comedy books, Grumpy Old Men, the Official Handbook; Grumpy Old Men, The Secret Diary; Grumpy Old Christmas, Grumpy Old Drivers and Grumpy Old Workers, as well as a book about the Falklands War entitled ‘Secrets of the Conqueror’ published by Faber and Faber.
On the news of his death, broadcaster and writer Michael Crick said on social media: “He was one of the most distinguished TV journalists of modern times.”
Rob McLoughlin, TV presenter, producer, creator said: “One of Britain’s best TV journalists, editors, investigators and original minds: fabulous sense of humour has died.”
Pippa Considine
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