Biography.

Born Manchester.  Father a national newspaper MD and mother an artist.  After National Service and Cambridge, Chris joined Rediffusion Television in 1962 working in a wide variety of management roles, including Drama Coordinating Officer for ITV.  He ended up as Programme Planning Executive where he organised the ITV schedule including introducing the first afternoon TV in the UK.  

He worked in the US for Westinghouse Broadcasting in Philadelphia – including at the first all-news radio station 1966/67.

He joined Jeremey Isaacs at the start of Thames TV, managing the largest department in UK TV – providing local news, ‘This Week’, documentaries (including ‘World At War’) and womens and childrens programmes. Produced BAFTA nominated, one and a half hour film on the life of the painter, Turner, starring Leo McKern.  Executive Producer of two 15-hour themed weeks of programmes, one on the NHS and one on Overseas Development.

At the Independent Broadcasting Authority 1977-1989 where, as Head of Planning (Television) he oversaw the scheduling mix of programmes and forward policy, including the introduction of Channel 4; the start of the independent producers; a major increase in ITV’s local broadcasting and social action programming, as well as the early planning of satellite broadcasting.

In 1986 he founded The One World Broadcasting Trust – now One World Media – a charity to encourage more high quality TV and radio programmes on the developing world.  He was President, Media Society 1991 and 1992.  Member of Radio Academy, Royal Television Society and judging member of BAFTA.

In 1990 he founded Five TV Limited to apply for the fifth television channel licence.  With Thames TV and Time-Warner, they were the only applicant but no licence was awarded.  In 1992 he founded West Kent Radio Limited of which he was Chairman and was one of the founders of Sovereign Radio, the ILR station for Eastbourne. In 2006 he founded the Hand Engravers Association of Great Britain; and in 2008 he co-founded the Heritage Craft Association.  

Since 2000, he has written five, well-received books.  ‘We Had Everything . . . Recollections of a Kent Village 1900-2000’.  “The Lost Powder Mills of Leigh – A History”, with an associated book on the archaeology of the Mills.  A book about the hand engraving firm ‘J J Bergin 1894-2000’; and ‘Just A Bit Barmy’ – a history of a ground-breaking, small, mental hospital 1895 until 1995.  His current book ‘Couldn’t You Just Call Me John?: A Layman’s Guide to Learning Disability and Autism’ is due for publications in March, 2022. A further documentary book, ‘Life and Death and Doctors: 1820-1950’ is in preparation for release in late 2022.  

Married to Anna, with two children. He has lived in the Tonbridge area for over forty years.  Runner, including an entry in the Guinness Book of Records and forty five years later running for GB in the 10,000m World Master Championships.  Concerned with music of all types, including jazz (he ran a jazz band for over thirty years).  He has been Chairman of the local history society in his village for many years.