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Two greats of radio and TV died yesterday, but while one received tributes on Radio 4, and will be highlighted in a special show tonight at 18h30, the other’s passing seems to have gone by relatively unnoticed.
Ned Sherrin, who died following complications with throat cancer, was probably better known for presenting Loose Ends for the last 20 years than he was for That Was The Week That Was, Up Pompeii or his theatre work in the west end. In that role he broke new talent across pretty much every field, and many big names should be grateful for the lucky first break he gave them.
But it was Ronnie Hazlehurst, who died in Guernsey following a stroke, who provided the soundtrack to so many a 70s and 80s childhood, and whose work will be best remembered and longest surviving.He was three times musical director of the Eurovision Song Contest, conducted the UK entry seven times (and the German entry once), and was responsible for some of the best-known theme tunes on British TV, counting Last of the Summer Wine, Blankety Blank, Are You Being Served, To the Manor Born, The Two Ronnies and Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em to his name.
A name frequently tagged on to the end of a long run of programme credits, he rarely received the public recognition he deserved for the brilliance of his compositions. They may have sounded like nothing more than cheerful introductions, but they often had a hidden depth, as explained by the BBC:
The composer said he always tried to make the music fit the title of the programme - using a piccolo to spell out the title to Some Mothers Do ‘Ave Em in Morse code. (Source: BBC News)
There’s only one thing you can say to that:
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