Alan Towers

Alan Towers
Born 1934
Liverpool, England, United Kingdom
Died 24 May 2008
Warwickshire, England
Occupation Newsreader

Alan Towers (1934 – 24 May 2008) was a former presenter of Midlands Today, BBC Midlands' regional news programme.

After stints as a newsreader with ITN and Granada Television in Manchester,[1] Towers joined BBC Midlands in 1972 as a main presenter on Midlands Today and was also seen nationally as a presenter of features from the English Midlands on Nationwide. His most famous item was the infamous skateboarding duck story. He regularly presented the programme with recently retired presenter Kay Alexander.

Following a heart attack during the late eighties, Towers left his role as main presenter but continued on Midlands Today as a sports presenter and reporter. During this time, he also raised thousands of pounds for charity by walking the Great Wall of China and riding a motorbike across Canada.[2]

In 1997, Towers announced his resignation from the BBC on-air and left viewers with a disparaging comment about the state of BBC management:[3]

“ This is my last programme for the BBC after 25 years. When I first joined the corporation, it was led by giants. Now it is being led by pygmies in grey suits wearing blindfolds[4] ”

Despite these comments, Towers returned to Midlands Today as a special guest on the programme's last broadcast from the Pebble Mill studios in October 2004.

Alan Towers died on Saturday 24 May 2008 at his home in Warwickshire, after a long illness. He was 73 years old.

References

  1. ↑ Before they were famous - Transdiffusion.org
  2. ↑ TV presenter Alan Towers dies, BBC News Online, 25 May 2008
  3. ↑ BBC Newsman Quits, Calls Execs "Pygmies"
  4. ↑ TV ARK - 'T' presenters profiles