Sir Bill Cotton (born April 23, 1928) CBE, is a British television producer and executive, the son of big-band leader Billy Cotton. He joined BBC Television as an in-house producer of light entertainment programmes in 1956, working on various programmes such as his father’s The Billy Cotton Band Show and popular music programme Six-Five Special. April 23 is the 113th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (114th in leap years). ... 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Commanders Badge of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority, these are... A Television producer oversees the making of television penis programs. ... William Edward Cotton (May 6, 1899 – March 25, 1969), better known as Billy Cotton, was a British band leader and entertainer, one of the few whose orchestra survived the dance band era. ... BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which began in 1932. ... Light entertainment is a term used to describe a broad range of usually televisual performances. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Six-Five Special was a television programme launched in February 1957 when both television and rock and roll were in their infancy in Britain. ...

In the late 1960s he was promoted to Head of Light Entertainment. In this position, he was responsible for overseeing the commissioning of a whole series of popular and iconic comedy programmes, including Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969), The Two Ronnies (1971) and Morecambe and Wise (1968). His era is generally seen as the most popular in the history of BBC Light Entertainment, with programmes such as Morecambe and Wise becoming iconic parts of British popular culture and drawing huge audience figures, while the more subversive Monty Python provided a more cutting-edge, contemporary and daring complement. Monty Pythons Flying Circus (also known as Flying Circus, MPFC or just Monty Python during the fourth season) was a popular, surreal BBC sketch comedy show from Monty Python, and the groups initial claim to fame. ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... Ronnie Corbett and Ronnie Barker The Two Ronnies was a British sketch show that aired on BBC One from 1971 to 1987. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... Morecambe and Wise Morecambe and Wise were a famous British comic double act comprising Eric Morecambe OBE and Ernie Wise OBE. The act lasted four decades until Morecambes retirement, shortly before his death in 1984. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ...

Cotton’s success as Head of Light Entertainment led to his promotion to Controller of BBC One, the Corporation’s premier and the UK’s oldest television station, in 1977. He oversaw some of the channel’s highest-ever audience figures in 1979, although this was mostly due to the main opposition, ITV, being on strike for over a hundred days. BBC One (or BBC1 as it was formerly styled) is the oldest television station in the world. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... This page refers to the year 1979. ... ITV (Independent Television) is the name given to the original network of British commercial television broadcasters, set up under the Independent Television Authority (ITA) to provide competition to the BBC. In England, Wales and southern Scotland, the channel has been rebranded to ITV1 by ITV plc, the owners of the...

In 1981 Cotton was promoted again, this time to become Managing Director of Television, a role he fulfilled until his retirement from the Corporation in 1987. He has subsequently done some freelance executive producing work in the light entertainment area and he has served as Chairman of Noel Gay Television. 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

According to Bruce Forsyth's Autobiography his favourite food is Chinese. TV presenter Bruce Forsyth CBE Bruce Joseph Forsyth, CBE (affectionately called Brucie) (born 22 February 1928) is a British entertainer and showman who achieved celebrity on the show Sunday Night at the London Palladium (1958–1960 and 1961), and has since presented game shows such as Play Your Cards Right...

He received a BAFTA Fellowship Award in 1998. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), is a British organization that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, childrens film and television, and interactive media. ...

He has been awarded the CBE and received a Knighthood for his services to British Broadcasting. He is a Vice President of the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity. Commanders Badge of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority, these are... A statue of an armoured knight of the Middle Ages For the chess piece, see knight (chess). ... Maria Skłodowska-Curie. ...

He is related to television presenter Fearne Cotton, as he is a cousin of her grandfather. Fearne Cotton helped support the 2005 Make Poverty History campaign. ...