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David Hatch

1939 - 2007

Obituaries

Fan Obituary by Jodie VDW

15th June 2007

Sir David Hatch; Cambridge Circus and ISIRTA cast member, founding producer of ISIHAC, former managing director of BBC Radio, and one of the funniest voices you ever heard on radio, passed away earlier this week.

Youngest son of a vicar, David Edwin Hatch was born in Yorkshire on May 7, 1939. He went to Cambridge University, where he became member of the illustrious Footlights at the same time as Tim Brooke-Taylor, John Cleese, Bill Oddie, Graeme Garden - the generation that went on to become legends in their own right. He was part of the Clump of Plinths Footlights revue that evolved into Cambridge Circus, played professional theatre in the UK, toured America and New Zealand, and then evolved further into BBC radio comedy I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again.

As ISIRTA’s confidence in itself and its format grew, the team developed regular characters which were largely caricatures of themselves - Graeme took on the mad boffin characters like the immortal Professor Prune, for instance, while John Cleese became a kitten-mowing monster oozing with sneering contempt. David Hatch, who was by now producing as well as performing in ISIRTA, took on the character of the harangued announcer/continuity man/producer struggling to keep the increasingly eccentric team in order. It gave him some beautiful moments of comedy, including doing the seemingly impossible - giving John Cleese in full rant mode a dressing down!

Radio production is a funny animal - it can be nigh-on impossible to explain to someone not in the industry what a producer actually does. But producers are essential, a good producer can make or break a show. A good producer made ISIRTA. The team probably wouldn't have had the freedom they did, and been able to get away with as much as they did, without strong, understanding production support.

By the time ISIRTA had further evolved into I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, David Hatch was no longer performing, but concentrating on radio production, and his hand was at work in shaping the institution which Clue became. He went on to hold a range of positions within BBC Radio including, at various times, Controller of Radio 4, Controller of Radio 2, Head of BBC Light Entertainment (radio), Managing Director of BBC Radio and advisor to the Director-General. His contributions to the industry include pioneering the now-common concept of a radio presenter as a personality, rather than a generic ‘announcer’. The Times describes him as a ‘man for all seasons’, who didn’t buy into the politics and policy changes of life in the BBC, seeing his role as a public servant as simply doing his best with the resources to hand.

Outside the BBC, David Hatch was involved with the National Consumer Council, Services Sound and Vision Corporation, and the Parole Board. In this last role, he fought against a move to reduce the resources available to interview prisoners up for early release.

His enormous contribution to the BBC, justice and the community earned him a knighthood in 2004.

Sir David Hatch, CBE, passed away on June 13, 2007. He is survived by his wife, Mary, and three children.

Goodbye, Announcer Hatch. And thank you.

BBC

• BBC Press Office


• BBC News*

BBC 7 Newsletter:

And I'm afraid there's some sad news, which some of you will already be aware of: Sir David Hatch died this week at the age of 68, following a long illness. Sir David was an actor, writer and later producer for “I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again”, the irreverent radio comedy series which ran between 1964 and 1973. The show was a forerunner to “The Goodies” and “I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue”. BBC 7 listeners will be more than familiar with his work, with programmes such as “Doctor In The House” and “What Ho! Jeeves” under his belt and in our schedules, to name but two.

Jenny Abramsky, director of BBC Audio and Music, said: 'David Hatch was one of the greats of BBC Radio. He was a performer, a leader and an inspirer of people. He led the radio Light Entertainment department with verve and joy.' She also said that Hatch modernised and ensured that radio thrived in an increasingly competitive world.

As a tribute we’ll be re-running “Wireless Wise”, starting on Tuesday 10th July – and his edition of “Radio Heads”, although the date for this has yet to be confirmed.

BBC Radio Four Programme, The Last Word*

Sir David Hatch CBE
Managing director of BBC Radio and chairman of the Parole Board of England and Wales has died aged 68.

Sir David Hatch started his career as a performer in the Cambridge Footlights alongside Graham Garden, Tim Brooke-Taylor and John Cleese. The team were hired by the BBC to produce a radio comedy show called “I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again” which ran for many years in the 1960s. David saw his future in production and management, eventually becoming Head of Radio Light Entertainment, Controller of Radio 2 and Controller of Radio 4. Promoted to Managing Director of Network Radio.

He created Radio 5, which brought together sport, education and children’s programmes and then fought to stop it from being turned into a rolling news service by the incoming Director General John Birt. Even though he was finally overruled, David Hatch didn’t leave the corporation. Instead he accepted the job of Adviser to the Director General, seeing his role as giving a human face to the rather more cold and clinical approach of Birt.

On his retirement, David Hatch became Chairman of the National Consumer Council and then of the Parole Board.

Matthew Bannister talks to Jo Dobry who worked with Sir David Hatch at the Parole board, broadcaster Sue Lawley, and the writer and performer John Cleese.

Sir David Hatch was born on May 7th 1939. He died on June 12th 2007.

Newspapers

• The Times*

Amendment in June 15th 2007 edition:

• Sir David Hatch (obituary, June 14) died on June 13, and not June 12 as stated.

  His first wife in fact predeceased him, and he is survived by his second wife Mary. We apologise for our errors.

• Russell Twisk writes: Sadly, David Hatch's wife of 33 years, Ann, died after a heroic struggle with cancer ten years ago.

  In 1999 David married Mary Clancy, having been introduced at a dinner party by their mutual friends Sir Terry and Helen Wogan. Friends were thrilled to see how this vivacious and bubbly Irish woman, a senior member of the famous Clancy building family, and marrying for the first time, brought light and laughter back to his life once again.

  They shared a love of walking, racing, parties, travelling, especially to South Africa, and the theatre. They were energetic supporters of the Tricycle Theatre Company and served on the development committee, which Mary chaired.



• The Independent


• The Guardian


• The Telegraph


• The Scotsman*


• The Yorkshire Post

Radio Shows

• The Last Word - Hatch’s segment - Download here


• BBC 7 will be broadcasting Wireless Wise - a comedy panel show on radio history - on July 10th. Further details to be confirmed. ‘Wireless Wise’ was hosted by David when it ran from 1999 to 2003.


• BBC 7 also plan on broadcasting David’s edition of Radio Heads some time in the near future. Further details to be confirmed.

Fan Messages

* Thanks to TastyTotty for finding these

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