I was sad to hear via Twitter on Friday evening that Geoffrey Perkins had died.
Although primarily a TV and radio producer, Perkins was most recognisable to television audiences as Mike Flex on the BBC Two comedy show KYTV, which he co-wrote with Angus Deayton (and which was itself a transfer of their Radio 4 comedy Radio Active). He also appeared in episodes of Father Ted and The Catherine Tate Show.
On radio, he produced the hugely successful Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and – I only now learn – created I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue‘s signature game Mornington Crescent.
As a TV produer and executive producer, the shows he was responsible for included Spitting Image, Father Ted (on which he also worked a script advisor), The Thin Blue Line, The Catherine Tate Show, Big Train, Coupling and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.
He worked for Hat Trick and Tiger Aspect and spent six years as the BBC’s Head of Comedy. His incluence on broadcast comedy in the UK was huge and the TV and comedy worlds are much poorer for his loss.
I was sad to be the one to pass on such crappy news. I always knew Geoffrey Perkins to be name that got the producer credit at the end of every Hitch-hiker’s Guide episode, and if this was all he’d have done in his life, it would have made it a pretty special life.
A real loss.
geoffrey perkins was always at the end of the credits of all my favourite and best comedy shows. He was the driving force behind quality comedy. Tv will never be the same again. .