Derek Granger on good form

Derek Granger (Powell 1935-39) is our oldest Old Eastbournian and was on fine form when he entertained Emma Garrett and John Thornley at his London flat on Wednesday 19 October.

Derek, who was 101 in April, was happy to remember his College days by sporting his original boater (known as a 'basher' at Eastbourne) for our photo.

He is probably most famous as the producer of Brideshead Revisited for Granada Television, which won a BAFTA award for best drama series in 1982.

After the Second World War, in which he served as a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, Derek worked as a journalist in Brighton, before being headhunted by the Financial Times as their first drama and film critic.

That led to an invitation from Sidney Bernstein, the head of Granada, to work in television. He was a producer of Coronation Street in its early days, as well as being a scriptwriter, and later became Granada’s head of drama.

On 24 April this year, a day after his 101st birthday, Derek appeared at the Birley Centre in conversation with David Grindley, and spoke about his fascinating life in the world of television.

Photo by Cassius Matthias