FORMER BBC director general Alasdair Milne has died at the age of 82.
Mr Milne led the corporation between 1982 and 1987 after a 28-year BBC career as the producer of shows such as Tonight and That Was The Week That Was.
He stood up for the BBC’s independence in a series of rows with government but in an unprecedented move was asked to step down by the BBC governors.
Born in India to Scottish parents, Milne started his career as a trainee in 1954 and after stints as controller of BBC Scotland and director of programmes, was the first producer to be appointed director general.
Under his tenure, the BBC broadcast Live Aid and launched its first breakfast television programme.
However, Milne came into conflict with Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Government over the BBC’s coverage of the miners’ strike, Falklands War and the US bombing of Libya.
A row in 1985 over the Real Lives programme in which Sinn Fein politician Martin McGuinness was interviewed helped bring about his departure.
BBC chairman Marmaduke Hussey was appointed to reportedly “sort out” the corporation and one of the first things he did was ask Milne to go.
