Reg Watson

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Please improve this article if you can. (January 2008)
Reg Watson

Born Brisbane, Australia
Occupation Television Producer

Reg Watson is an Australian television producer, best known for creating soap operas like Prisoner and Neighbours.

Reg started his career as an actor at the age of sixteen on Australian radio, before moving to Great Britain in 1955. He soon was hired by ATV, and in 1956 joined Ned Sherrin and Noele Gordon in Birmingham to set up and launch ATV Midlands. Reg's job was as Head Of Light Entertainment.

In this role he created many programmes for the station with his first big hit being the live daily chat show, Lunchbox. It ran from 1956 to 1964, creating over 3000 editions. In 1958 Reg submitted a proposal for a new Midlands based soap opera to ATV, however it wasn't until 1964 that Lew Grade, head of the station, granted approval for the soap. It was to be the first full length daily serial in the UK, it was called 'The Midland Road.'

Reg later changed the soap's name to Crossroads and he took the show, along with its creators Hazel Adair and Peter Ling, to audiences of 18 million. After ten years producing Crossroads, and eighteen years at ATV he decided to return to Australia in 1973. Upon his return home he took up the post of head of drama at Reg Grundy Productions. Thanks to his hit British soap, he was able to create many more memorable productions including The Young Doctors, Glenview High, The Restless Years and Sons and Daughters. The Young Doctors and Sons and Daughters later aired in the UK. The fame that he earned from Sons and Daughters allowed his idea for Neighbours to be picked up by the Seven Network in 1985. After being cancelled by Seven that year due to low ratings it switched to the Ten Network at the start of 1986 and slowly its ratings climbed. Currently, the show still airs on Network Ten and is the longest-running drama series in Australian television history. At the 47th Annual TV Week Logie Awards held on 1 May 2005, Neighbours became the 22nd inductee into the TV Week Hall of Fame.

Watson also dabbled in television production in America, producing Dangerous Women, a short-lived soap opera based on the Australian Prisoner series. Watson is a shy man, and rarely gives interviews, he is now happily retired and hasn't produced any new television drama since 1992.

Reg was nominated for Australian of the Year in 2006 for the presentation on Australia Day 2007. Among the reasons given for his nomination:

  • his staggering contribution to Australian - and indeed global - television
  • his contribution to creating a positive image for Australia internationally
  • his contribution to the Australian economy as an export earner
  • his contribution to the development of Australian television
  • his contribution to the overall happiness of millions of viewers
  • his genuinely gentlemanly demeanour and character
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