Alan Yentob, Former BBC Executive and TV Presenter, Dies at 78

Alan Yentob, the renowned BBC arts broadcaster, documentary-maker, and former executive, passed away at the age of 78, as announced by his family through the BBC.

Yentob died on Saturday, May 24, 2025, according to a statement from his family.

His wife, Philippa Walker, described him as “curious, funny, annoying, late and creative in every cell of his body,” emphasizing that he was “the kindest of men and a profoundly moral man.”

Philippa Walker further noted, “For Jacob, Bella and I every day with Alan held the promise of something unexpected. Our life was exciting, he was exciting.”

Yentob joined the BBC in 1968 as a trainee at the World Service, rising through the ranks to become head of music and arts in 1985.

As controller of BBC2, Yentob commissioned iconic shows like Absolutely Fabulous and Have I Got News For You, the latter later moving to BBC One.

He launched CBBC and CBeebies, expanding the BBC’s offerings for younger audiences.

In 1993, Yentob became controller of BBC1, overseeing drama commissions such as Middlemarch, Pride and Prejudice—which propelled actor Colin Firth to fame—and Ballykissangel, while canceling the struggling soap Eldorado.

Yentob interviewed prominent figures including David Bowie, Charles Saatchi, Maya Angelou, and Grayson Perry for BBC series like Omnibus, Arena, and Imagine.

He presented a series on the life of artist Leonardo da Vinci, starring Sir Mark Rylance, and hosted the arts series Imagine from 2003.

In 2004, Yentob was appointed creative director, tasked with overseeing the BBC’s creative strategy.

He served as chairman of the board of trustees for Kids Company, founded by Camila Batmanghelidjh, from 2003 until the charity’s collapse in 2015.