Sir William Frederick Cotton was a British television producer and executive, and the son of dance band leader Billy Cotton.
12 Facts About Bill Cotton
2.
The TV and radio presenter Fearne Cotton is related to him, as he was her paternal grandfather's cousin.
3.
In 1970, Bill Cotton was promoted to Head of Light Entertainment, following the death of Tom Sloan in May In this position, Bill Cotton was responsible for overseeing the production of a whole series of popular variety and light entertainment shows, including The Morecambe and Wise Show, Monty Python's Flying Circus, The Two Ronnies, Bruce Forsyth and the Generation Game, Look: Mike Yarwood and Parkinson.
4.
Bill Cotton's era was generally seen as the most eclectic in the history of BBC Light Entertainment, with programmes such as Morecambe and Wise becoming icons of British popular culture and drawing huge audiences, while the more subversive Monty Python provided a more cutting-edge, contemporary and daring complement.
5.
Bill Cotton oversaw some of the channel's highest-ever audience figures in 1979, although this was mostly due to the main opposition, ITV, being on strike for over two months.
6.
In 1984 Bill Cotton was promoted to become managing director of Television, a role he fulfilled until his retirement from the Corporation in 1988.
7.
Bill Cotton subsequently did some freelance executive producing work in the light entertainment area and served as chairman of Noel Gay Television.
8.
Bill Cotton was deputy chairman of Meridian Broadcasting from 1992 to 1996, then chairman until 2001.
9.
Bill Cotton was a Vice-President of the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity.
10.
Bill Cotton was made a Knight Bachelor for his services to Television Broadcasting and Marie Curie Cancer Care in 2001.
11.
Bill Cotton had previously been appointed a CBE in 1989 and an OBE in 1976.
12.
Bill Cotton was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1995 when he was surprised by Michael Aspel at Castle Ashby in Northamptonshire.