Jonathan Powell (producer)

Jonathan Powell (born 1947) is a British television producer and executive. After graduating from the University of East Anglia in 1968, he began working in television drama, producing programmes such as "Crown Court".

He produced several drama series during the 1970s, including literary adaptations such as "A Christmas Carol" (1977) and "Wuthering Heights" (1978). However, probably his most famous work was as producer of the Alec Guinness-starring BBC serials "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" (1979) and its sequel "Smiley's People" (1982).

In 1983 he was made Head of Drama Series & Serials at BBC Television, and later became the overall Head of Drama. His most prominent television post came in 1987 when he succeeded Michael Grade as the Controller of BBC One, the Corporation's premier television channel and the oldest station in the UK. He was held responsible for commissioning "Eldorado", a new soap opera that lasted only a year and was critically and popularly regarded as a costly fiasco and an embarrassment for the BBC. He was also involved in the ultimate cancellation of the original series of "Doctor Who" in 1989.

He held this post until 1993, when he left the BBC to join the independent company Carlton Television, where he became Director of Drama & Co-Production. As of December 2005, he still holds this position.

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*imdb name|id=0694178|name=Jonathan Powell