Kay Benbow
{{Short description|British broadcasting executive (1961–2024)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
Kay Benbow (November 1961 – 24 March 2024) was a British broadcasting executive, and was the Controller of the BBC channel CBeebies from 2010 to 2017.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/corporate2/insidethebbc/managementstructure/biographies/benbow_kay BBC biography]
Early life
Kay Benbow was born in Sheffield. Her secondary education was at Littleover Community School.{{cite magazine | work=St Hugh's College Chronicle, 1980-1981|date=1981|number=53|publisher=St Hugh's College, Oxford |title=Matriculations, 1980| url=https://issuu.com/sthughscollegeoxford/docs/chronicle_1980-1981/16 | access-date=19 June 2025}} She studied theology at St Hugh's College, Oxford, matriculating in 1980. She joined the BBC in 1984.
=BBC Children's=
Kay Benbow began working for BBC Children's in 1988. She moved to CBeebies in 2002. CBeebies launched in February 2002. During this time she also spent two years outside the BBC at Tell-Tale Productions until 2000.[http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/features/interviews/kay-benbow-controller-cbeebies/5021682.article 2010 interview] She became the second Controller of CBeebies in May 2010.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/06_june/05/cbeebies.shtml CBeebies] In October 2014 Benbow became Acting Director of BBC Children's following the resignation of Joe Godwin, until the appointment of Alice Webb in February 2015.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2015/alice-webb BBC Media Centre]
Under Benbow's control, CBeebies won the BAFTA Children's Award for Channel of the Year in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2016.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bafta.org/children/awards/channel-of-the-year|title=Channel of the Year - CBeebies|website=www.bafta.org|date=2 November 2016|access-date=2016-12-02}}
In January 2017, she was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Sheffield in recognition of her achievements in the industry and her commitment to research-informed understanding of young children's engagement with television.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/nr/cbeebies-honorary-graduations-sheffield-1.672305|title=Head of CBeebies awarded honorary degree from University of Sheffield - Archive - News archive - the University of Sheffield|date=10 January 2017|access-date=21 February 2017|archive-date=2 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502124817/https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/nr/cbeebies-honorary-graduations-sheffield-1.672305|url-status=dead}} In July 2017, it was announced that the post of Controller of CBeebies would close and Benbow left the BBC at the end of that year.{{Cite web|url=http://www.digitaltveurope.net/721901/benbow-exiting-in-bbc-childrens-shake-up/|title=Benbow exiting in BBC Children's shake-up » Digital TV Europe|website=www.digitaltveurope.net|date=25 July 2017|language=en-US|access-date=2017-07-25}}
Benbow said that she would, "leave with pride, knowing that CBeebies is in great shape, is loved by the audience and will go from strength to strength. I have always said that the very young deserve the very best and I have strived to give them just that. It is my hope that CBeebies inspires them and makes a positive impact on their lives, helping to create happy, confident children".{{Cite news|url=http://tbivision.com/news/2017/07/benbow-exiting-bbc-childrens-shake/776711/|title=Benbow exiting in BBC Children's shake-up - TBI Vision|date=2017-07-25|work=TBI Vision|access-date=2017-07-25|language=en-US}}
Personal life
She lived in South Bucks until her death in 24 March 2024, at the age of 62.{{Cite news|url=https://www.prolificnorth.co.uk/news/tributes-paid-to-former-cbeebies-controller-kay-benbow/|title=Tributes paid to former CBeebies controller Kay Benbow - Prolific North|date=2024-03-26|work=Prolific North|access-date=2024-03-26|language=en-US}}
References
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External links
- {{IMDb name|id=0994259|name=Kay Benbow}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20170313195312/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies CBeebies]
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{{succession box | before= Michael Carrington | title=Controller: CBeebies | years= May 2010 – 2017 | after= Role abolished }}
{{succession box | before= Joe Godwin | title=Director: BBC Children's Television | years= October 2014 – February 2015 (Acting) | after= Alice Webb}}
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Category:Alumni of St Hugh's College, Oxford