Brideshead Revisited producer Derek Granger has died at the age of 101.
During his TV career, Granger also produced ITV’s long-running soap Coronation Street in its early days from 1961-1962 when he worked at Granada Television, now known as ITV Granada.
A statement from his close friends said: “Brideshead Revisited producer Derek Granger has died peacefully at his home at the age of 101.”
Born in 1921, Granger previously wrote theatre reviews for the Brighton Evening Argus before moving to the Financial Times to become the paper’s first drama critic at the suggestion of the late veteran actor Laurence Olivier.
He later became the head of drama at Granada Television, working on a variety of popular dramas including Country Matters and the 1976 production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with Olivier, Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner.
Shortly after Coronation Street was launched in December 1960, Granger spent a period working as the producer on the soap opera, which he once called a “god-like role”.
In an interview with the Telegraph earlier this year ahead of his 101st birthday, he told the newspaper: “I had more fun doing that than anything else I’ve done in television.
“It’s a god-like role, it’s marvellous. You’ve got the power of life and death, love and sex.”
Granger is best known as the producer of the 1981 award-winning adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s novel Brideshead Revisited starring Jeremy Irons and Anthony Andrews.
Trying his hand at cinema, he also produced a number of films including A Handful Of Dust and Where Angels Fear To Tread.
A statement from ITV said: “With great sadness the production team at Coronation Street and ITV Studios would like to send heartfelt condolences to Derek’s family and friends.”
Granger was in a long-term relationship with interior designer Kenneth Partridge, who famously made over John Lennon’s house in Surrey, until Partridge’s death in 2015.
Much saddened by Derek’s death.
I have written a piece about him here.
http://www.christopherhawtree.com/hove.html
I am very sad to hear of Derek’s passing. knew him very well for several years in the 90’s while I was at Brighton Art College and for some years afterwards. He inspired me amd others with his kindness and generosity and helped me launch my own career in theatre and then later in film and television. I will always carry on thinking of you, Derek. Bless you and thank you. You have shown me how to remain calm and kind and work as hard as I can with as good a sense of humour as I can muster..