Derek Chinnery
Charles Derek Chinnery (27 April 1925 – 22 March 2015) was the controller of BBC Radio 1 from 1978 to 1985.
Early life and career
Chinnery was born in Richmond, London and attended Gosforth Grammar School. He joined the BBC in 1941 aged 16. From 1943-7 he was in the RAF. He returned to the BBC in 1947, becoming a producer in 1952.
BBC Radio 1 controller
He took over from Charles McLelland and was succeeded by Johnny Beerling.[1] He relaxed the guidelines on banning records, allowing records to mention a commercial product and ended the Sounds of the Seventies programme.[1]
Chinnery admitted that while he was controller he confronted Jimmy Savile over allegations of inappropriate sexual activities, which Savile denied; Chinnery said "there was no reason to disbelieve" him. Chinnery took no further action, saying: "He was the sort of man that attracted rumours, after all, because he was single, he was always on the move, he was always going around the country."[2]
Personal life
Chinnery married Doreen Clarke in 1953 in Marylebone.
External links
- Radio Rewind
- Interview recorded in 1983 for British Library's Oral History of Recorded Sound
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Friends pay tribute to ex-Radio 1 boss", Ariel, 24 March 2015
- ↑ "Jimmy Savile 'asked about rumours' by BBC boss". BBC News. 14 October 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
| Media offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Charles McLelland |
Controller, BBC Radio 1 1978–1985 |
Succeeded by Johnny Beerling |