Greg Dyke: Inside Story - Softcover

Dyke, Greg

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0007193645 ISBN 13: 9780007193646

Publisher: Harper Perennial, 2006

Synopsis

‘“How did a short bald, man with a speech impediment have such an impact?” How indeed? Like his life, “Inside Story” is a pacy romp. Honest and heartfelt, it should be required reading.’ Observer

On 28 January 2004, four years to the day after becoming a much-loved Director-General of the BBC, Greg Dyke left his post and entered the public eye after the publication of the Hutton Report.

But Greg Dyke’s story started long before he reached the BBC. Written off as a failure at school, unemployed at thirty, his big break came as a current affairs researcher at London Weekend Television in 1977. From there he rose through the ranks of independent television, becoming the person responsible for briefly saving TV-am, thanks to Roland Rat, before running LWT, Channel Four and Pearson Television. In his riveting and frank autobiography, Dyke charts his astonishing and unconventional rise to the top, his unwavering determination and courage in improving the BBC and his defiant stand against Downing Street’s campaign of harassment. His autobiography is the story of a man of our times and of the power of television: entertaining, funny and explosively revealing.

About this title

From the Publisher

Greg Dyke grew up in the 1950s in the small West London suburb of Hayes. Written off as a dud by his schoolteachers, he attended York University before becoming a local newspaper reporter. At the age of 30, he was unemployed. Then came his lucky break: he became a current affairs researcher at London Weekend Television.

LWT, TVAM, TV5, Pearson Television—Greg Dyke’s progress has been an extraordinary rollercoaster ride through some of Britain’s favorite programmes, and his descriptions of the personalities and rivalries are animated by an irrepressible love of the medium.

Then, on January 28, 2000, he became Director–General of the BBC. His appointment was almost as controversial as his departure was to be exactly four years later; he was accused of being a “Tony crony” and his instincts were regarded as being far too populist: Yet, in his relatively brief spell at the helm, he not only launched four new TV channels and five radio stations, but also transformed an organization blighted by his predecessor, John Birt, kicking out the consultants and backing the program–makers.

When he left his post after the biggest conflict between the government and the BBC in living memory, some 3000 members of his staff took to the streets in an unprecedented protest. Thousands signed petitions.

Greg Dyke tells his full side of this story—the background of relentless pressure from the thuggish Alastair Campbell and Number 10; the rights and wrongs (but mostly rights) of the Gilligan affair; the fatal flaws of the Hutton Inquiry; the bad behaviour of some of the Governors.

All in all, Inside Story is a riveting read about a high–profile life that takes the lid off a wide range of political and media issues, and never fails to entertain.

About the Author

Greg Dyke was born in 1947 and educated at Hayes Grammar School and York University. Before becoming Director-General of the BBC in January 2000, he had enjoyed spells as Editor-in-Chief at TV-am, Director of Programmes at TVS and LWT (where he was Chief Executive from 1990 to 1994), a Director of Channel Four Television, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Pearson Television (1995-9). He lives with his partner Sue Howes in Twichenham, Middlesex, and has four children.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0007193645
• ISBN 13: 9780007193646
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 368