- Alan Towers
Infobox_Celebrity
name = Alan Towers
caption =
birth_date = 1934
birth_place = UK
death_date = Death date|2008|5|24| (aged 73–74)
death_place =Warwickshire ,England
occupation =Newsreader
website =Alan Towers (1934 - 24 May 2008) was a former presenter of
Midlands Today ,BBC Midlands ' regional news programme.After stints as a newsreader with
ITN andGranada Television inManchester , [ [http://www.transdiffusion.org/tmc/famous/ Before they were famous] - Transdiffusion.org] Towers joinedBBC Midlands in 1972 as a main presenter on Midlands Today and was also seen nationally as a presenter of features from the English Midlands on Nationwide. His most famous item was the infamous "skateboarding duck" story.Following a heart attack during the late eighties, Towers left his role as main presenter but continued on "Midlands Today" as a sports presenter and reporter. During this time, he also raised thousands of pounds for charity by walking the
Great Wall of China and riding a motorbike acrossCanada . [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7419522.stm TV presenter Alan Towers dies] , BBC News Online, 25 May 2008]In 1997, Towers announced his resignation from the BBC on-air and left viewers with a disparaging comment about the state of BBC management: [ [http://imdb.com/news/sb/1997-07-28 BBC Newsman Quits, Calls Execs "Pygmies"] ]
"This is my last programme for the BBC after 25 years. When I first joined the corporation, it was led by giants. Now, I'm afraid it's being led by pygmies wearing blindfolds. How sad." [ [http://www2.tv-ark.org.uk/presenters/t.html TV ARK - 'T' presenters profiles] ]
Despite these comments, Towers returned to Midlands Today as a special guest on the programme's last broadcast from the
Pebble Mill studios in October 2004.Alan Towers died on Saturday 24th May 2008 at his home in Warwickshire, after a long illness. He was 73 years old.
References
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