Jules Burns – Granadaland

Jules Burns describes how he joined Granada

I was born here, emigrated to Canada, my family emigrated to Canada. I came back when I was five. Went to prep school and then to Haberdashers’ School and did very badly. Left at first year of sixth form. I got a place at Brighton art college that I didn’t go to and went to…

Jules Burns on his first impressions of Granada

I knew nothing about television. I hardly watched it. No, I mean I had management background because in the garage when I worked I started as a petrol pump attendant but I was manager of the garage after a couple of years. Oh right, I see. Okay. I sort of found I could do…

Jules Burns describes his role in programme services

Just going back to the programme services job, did that involve a range of specialties and personnel management as well as legal affairs? It was responsible for all the contracting. It had HR as it’s now known reporting to it. It had all of the creative functions, so everything from PAs through production managers into…

Jules Burns on the arrival of Gerry Robinson and Charles Allen

Well, Robinson was appointed first. I think Alex Bernstein. I think he was the Chief executive of Granada Group at one stage, and then moved to be the chairman, and I think Robinson was brought in. It was a group. Wasn’t it? Yes. Robinson came into group, and Robinson brought in Charles into group, and…

Jules Burns on his role as managing director

During the 90s you were joint managing director? Well, I was joint managing director of Granada, and then I was joint managing director with Andrea (Wonfor) of Granada Group Production. Who was by then we bought London Weekend, we bought Yorkshire Time Tees, and the Southern franchise and were integrating. If you’ll remember, what we…

Jules Burns on the three generations of Granada

It seems to me that there were three generations of Granada. There was the ‘56 to probably the mid 70s, which was probably the most exciting time. Then the mid 70s through to the 90s was probably the fattest time, when you know, everybody got a bit lazy and it was all a bit easy…

Jules Burns on how Granada became more commercially competitive

When I first arrived on the sixth floor as part of programme services, or when I was first settled in there, I was surprised that entertainment was regarded as really a bit below the pale. Drama and current affairs, they were the things that Granada did. I remember Paul David as the head of entertainment,…

Jules Burns’s view on the shift of power from north to south

Well I think it’s regrettable in that it gradually has dismantled the production capability in the north, it’s an inevitable consequence of it. When I first arrived, Manchester was completely buzzing. Probably 80, 90% of its production staff, its creative staff were actually based in Manchester. There were some in Upper James Street, but that…

Jules Burns on leaving Granada and setting up All3Media

Coincidentally Steve, David and I all left Granada in 2002. At slightly different times, but by the end of 2002 we’d all left. ……. Steve was insistent that we should start an independent production company, which neither David nor I thought was a particularly good idea. We were in our mid-50s and we thought now…