Forum for former BBC staff

Forum for former BBC staff
http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl >> Notices, obituaries and tributes >> Alan Russell http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1742083399 Message started by JohnW on Mar 16^th, 2025, 12:04am

Title: Alan Russell
Post by JohnW on Mar 16^th, 2025, 12:04am

Paul Burton reports that ...
Peter Purves has posted to say that the director Alan Russell has passed away.
He mentioned that Alan created "Record Breakers" with Roy Castle, as well as directing "All Star Record Breakers".

John Lloyd also adds .. "that former BBC Children’s Programmes Producer Alan Russell died on 28th February, aged 87.
Alan was a studio cameraman and vision mixer in the 1950s and 60s before moving into production, initially on Blue Peter.
In 1972 he created "Record Breakers" - a very popular series which ran for twenty-nine years.
Alan left the BBC in 1986 and became Editor of Guinness Book of Records.
He directed one of the most memorable events ever to take place in the iconic BBC Television Centre, where Roy Castle tap danced with 500 others to break the record for largest tap dance.
You can imagine how difficult it must have been getting permission to make this happen - he even managed to get the fountain switched on! He was a brilliant Director and a really good guy. R.I.P.