Peter Cregeen
Peter Cregeen | |
---|---|
Born | London, UK | 28 January 1940
Occupation | Television director and producer |
Years active | 1960s- |
Children | 4 |
Peter Cregeen (born 28 January 1940 in London, England)
Career
Cregeen began directing for television in the 1960s and producing in the 1970s. During the 1960s, 70s, and 80s he worked on numerous popular television series, including:
Cregeen has worked on various police dramas, including:
As Head of Series at the BBC, Cregeen was responsible for the Corporation's one-off and returning drama series. During his tenure, Cregeen made the controversial decision to cancel the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who following the end of its 26th season in 1989.[7] At the time, Cregeen told fans to expect a longer than usual wait for series 27, though he promised it would return. However Doctor Who did not return as an ongoing series on the BBC until 2005, without Cregeen's involvement, 16 years later.[citation needed] In 2007, Cregeen and various other BBC staff gave the reasons for the cancellation of Doctor Who on a documentary entitled "End Game", which is featured on 26th series DVD Survival. Reasons given included a general feeling at the BBC that the series needed a "rest", plummeting ratings—partly a result of being broadcast in direct competition to ITV's highest rated programme, Coronation Street—and a general disdain for science fiction among BBC staff at the time.[8] In 2013, during an interview to mark the 50th anniversary of the series, Doctor Who executive producer Steven Moffat described the decision to abandon Doctor Who in 1989 as a decision of "outright stupidity and unforgivable blindness."[9]
Cregeen continued to produce various programmes for the BBC, having previously been the executive producer for
Cregeen remained "Head of Series" at the BBC until May 1993, when he was replaced by Michael Wearing.[12] He has worked on numerous projects for ITV and the BBC since, and was responsible for commissioning Carlton Television's successful drama Peak Practice in 1993.[13] Cregeen has also been involved in theatre, working alongside multimillionairess, Janet Holmes à Court, to encourage TV writers to contribute to her stage productions.[14]
He resumed producing and directing of The Bill throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, and produced The Choir, a five-part adaptation of the novel by Joanna Trollope, for the BBC (1994–1995).[15] From 1999 to 2000 he produced for ITV's Midsomer Murders, and in 2001 he was appointed series executive producer of ITV's new soap opera Night and Day, which revolved around the lives of six very different families. He commented "We're making a soap that's modern, romantic and aspirational – a programme from a different perspective and in some ways a more realistic perspective. It's modern, sexy and fun with a very dark undercurrent."[16] The soap was relatively unsuccessful, and was axed in 2003.[17] Cregeen's latest directorial TV credit was for a 2003 episode of the popular BBC medical drama, Casualty.
References
- ^ "CREGEEN, Peter". BFI. Archived from the original on 22 January 2008. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
- ^ "History". thebillbios. Archived from the original on 28 December 2007. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
- ^ "The Bill". televisionheaven.co.uk. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
- ISBN 9781903240281. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
- ^ "Bill, The (1984– )". BFI. Retrieved 30 August 2007.
- ISBN 0-563-37057-2.
- ^ "Doctor Who – Survival". thelogbook.com. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
- ^ "Doctor Who – Survival". dvdinmypants.com. Archived from the original on 23 October 2007. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
- ^ Dowell, Ben (18 November 2013). "Axing Doctor Who showed BBC's "outright stupidity and unforgivable blindness" says Steven Moffat". Radio Times. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
- ^ "A QUESTION OF GUILT". BFI. Archived from the original on 27 May 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
- ^ "Inside The Dark Dimension". nzdwfc.tetrap.com. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
- ^ "How to make a flop". The Independent. Retrieved 27 September 2007. [dead link]
- ^ "MOGUL SERIES OVERVIEW". startrader.co.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
- ^ "You name it. She owns it". The Independent. Retrieved 27 September 2007. [dead link]
- ^ "Filmography". BFI. Archived from the original on 26 May 2008. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
- ^ Deans, Jason (27 April 2001). "ITV unveils new daytime soap". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
- ^ Wells, Matt (11 March 2003). "Relaunched soap axed again". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
External links
- Peter Cregeen at IMDb