Peter Eckersley (TV producer)
Encyclopedia
Peter Eckersley was a British television producer who was Head of Drama at Granada Television
in the 1960s and 70s.
In the 1960s, he was also a writer and producer on Coronation Street
. He wrote 62 episodes between April 1962 and November 1969. There he met and married one of its stars, Anne Reid
, who played Valerie Barlow.
He also produced the sitcom Nearest and Dearest
with Hylda Baker
and Jimmy Jewel
.
During the late 1970s he spotted and developed a young comedienne Victoria Wood
, who went on to become one of the UK's most successful comedy stars. He produced the TV version of her play Talent
, and its follow-ups Nearly A Happy Ending
and Happy Since I Met You
(also by Wood). He also produced the pilot of Wood and Walters
, but died before the series was made. Wood cites him as her biggest influence.
David Liddiment, ITV
's former director of programmes said "Peter Eckersley nurtured a new cadre of young northern writers who reflected the realities of post-War urban life for the first time....They were all to make television drama younger, sharper and closer to the experience of the mass audience."
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
in the 1960s and 70s.
In the 1960s, he was also a writer and producer on Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
. He wrote 62 episodes between April 1962 and November 1969. There he met and married one of its stars, Anne Reid
Anne Reid
Anne Reid, MBE is a BAFTA Award-nominated English film and television actress from Newcastle upon Tyne, best known for her roles as Valerie Tatlock in Coronation Street and Jean in dinnerladies....
, who played Valerie Barlow.
He also produced the sitcom Nearest and Dearest
Nearest and Dearest
Nearest and Dearest is a British television sitcom that ran from 1968 to 1973. A total of 46 episodes were made, 18 in monochrome and 28 in colour...
with Hylda Baker
Hylda Baker
Hylda Baker was a British comedienne, actress and music hall star.-Early life and career:Baker was born in Farnworth, near Bolton, Lancashire, the first of seven children. Her father, Harold Baker, was a painter and signwriter, who also worked part-time in the music halls as a comedian...
and Jimmy Jewel
Jimmy Jewel
James Arthur Thomas J. Marsh, known as Jimmy Jewel, was a British television and film actor.The son of a comedian and actor who also used the stage name Jimmy Jewel, the youngster made his stage debut in Robinson Crusoe in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, at the age of four, performed with his father...
.
During the late 1970s he spotted and developed a young comedienne Victoria Wood
Victoria Wood
Victoria Wood CBE is a British comedienne, actress, singer-songwriter, screenwriter and director. Wood has written and starred in sketches, plays, films and sitcoms, and her live stand-up comedy act is interspersed with her own compositions, which she accompanies on piano...
, who went on to become one of the UK's most successful comedy stars. He produced the TV version of her play Talent
Talent (1978 play)
Talent is a play written by Victoria Wood, first performed in 1978. It centres around two friends, one of whom is about to enter a talent contest in a run down nightclub. Commissioned for the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, it received much acclaim and transferred to a London run in 1979. That same...
, and its follow-ups Nearly A Happy Ending
Nearly A Happy Ending
Nearly A Happy Ending is a television play written by Victoria Wood, which ITV broadcast on 1 June 1980.It is a sequel to Wood's earlier play Talent, with the same lead character's, Julie and Maureen ....
and Happy Since I Met You
Happy Since I Met You
Happy Since I Met You is a television play written by Victoria Wood, and broadcast on ITV on 9 August 1981.It stars Julie Walters, Duncan Preston, Tracey Ullman and Jim Bowen and was directed by Baz Taylor as part of ITV's Screenplay series. In Happy Since I Met You, Duncan Preston, who would later...
(also by Wood). He also produced the pilot of Wood and Walters
Wood and Walters
Wood and Walters is a British television comedy sketch show starring Julie Walters and Victoria Wood for Granada Television and written entirely by Wood...
, but died before the series was made. Wood cites him as her biggest influence.
David Liddiment, ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's former director of programmes said "Peter Eckersley nurtured a new cadre of young northern writers who reflected the realities of post-War urban life for the first time....They were all to make television drama younger, sharper and closer to the experience of the mass audience."