This is taken from the Guardian:

Barbara Cannell obituary
by David Heycock
Monday 18 April 2011

My former colleague and friend Barbara Cannell, who has died from bronchial pneumonia at the age of 81, made a major contribution to several stylish and original BBC television documentaries in the latter half of the 20th century.

As the unit manager on the series America (with Alistair Cooke in 1972) and The Long Search (with Ronald Eyre in 1978), she helped producers and directors to realise their aspirations with apparent ease, thanks to her foresight, patience, tact and admirable quick-thinking. In the production office and on location, Barbara showed that she was always aware of the needs of others. She was able to help restore any loss of confidence, reassure bruised self-regard and renew communal enthusiasm for a creative project.

The only child of an architect and his schoolteacher wife, Barbara grew up in Coventry, where she worked as an assistant stage manager at a repertory theatre before she moved to London and joined the BBC. She worked in drama, documentaries and arts features for the organisation as the medium adapted to major changes in the mid-1960s, such as the early days of colour and the beginning of a new channel, BBC2.

Although Barbara's lungs caused her considerable pain towards the end of her life, she continued to enjoy conversation, bridge, foreign travel, the theatre and cinema.

Her friends and colleagues will remember a superb team player, who had time for everyone, from the least confident young trainee to the most demanding contributor or producer. She had strong opinions but she never let them disturb the harmony of her relationships with other people; her loyalty, integrity, good humour and generosity will be sadly missed.