Lesley Douglas

Lesley Douglas is the current Controller, BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music. She was appointed Controller of both stations on October 10, 2003 and began January 5 2004, succeeding James Moir.

She was born in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1963, where she grew up but as a child she went to see Sunderland FC, her father's team, play at Roker Park and became hooked. She gained a degree in English from the University of Manchester. She was awarded an honorary fellowship from the University of Sunderland in [http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/university/ourpeople/graduates/honfellows/ in 2007] .

She began at the BBC as a production assistant, and began at the "David Jacobs Show" in 1985. In 1986, she joined the Promotions department. In 1988, she worked as a producer on programmes such as the "Gloria Hunniford Show" and "Brian Matthew's Round Midnight". In 1990, she returned to the Promotions department, then in 1993, she was promoted to be Editor of Radio 2 Presentation and Planning. She became Managing Editor of Radio 2, then became Head of Programmes in 2000.

She oversaw Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley parting company with Radio 1 in April 2004 and joining her two networks later that year; the controversial appointment of Chris Evans as Drivetime presenter on April 18 2006; and appointing equally controversial Russell Brand to 6 Music in April 2006 and overseeing his move to Radio 2 in November 2006.

She is a Fellow of the Radio Academy. She enjoys the music of Bruce Springsteen. She is married to Nick and has two children.

Controversy

Douglas caused controversy in 2008 with remarks, made in defence of the appointment of George Lamb to the 10:00-13:00 slot on 6Music, which were seen as pandering to outdated sterotypes. In an article in "The Guardian" she is quoted as saying:

:"It’s partly how you talk about music. Men tend to be more interested in the intellectual side of the music, the tracks, where albums have been made, that sort of thing. For women, there tends to be more emotional reaction to music." [John Plunkett, ' [http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/feb/18/bbc.radio Lesley Douglas defends 6Music changes] ', "The Guardian", 18 February 2007]

References

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/radio2/lesleydouglas.shtml Biography of Lesley Douglas, courtesy of BBC Press Office]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2003/10_october/10/lesley_douglas.shtml Becomes Controller of Radio 2]
* [http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article329830.ece November 2005 Independent article]