Alan Towers

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

Alan Towers
Born1934
Liverpool, England, United Kingdom
Died(2008-05-24)24 May 2008
Warwickshire, England
OccupationNewsreader

Career

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] He appeared in a few editions of the BBC's medical drama Dangerfield (TV series) as a local TV news reporter.

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]

For me, this is a personal goodbye because I'm leaving the BBC after 25 years. When I joined the corporation, it was led by giants. Now, I'm afraid it is being led by pygmies in grey suits wearing blindfolds. How sad. But times do change. From me, for the final time, goodbye.[4][5]

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.

Personal life

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" Archived 2007-01-13 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Alan Towers BBC Midlands Today resignation broadcast 1997, vimeo.com
  5. TV ARK - 'T' presenters profiles


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