MIKE BECKHAM

Mike Beckham joined Granada Television in 1962 straight from Leeds University where he had been studying chemical engineering.

He had spent most of his time at university however doing drama and won the NUS student drama award where he was spotted by Derek Granger. He was invited up to Granada and interviewed in turn by Denis Forman, Cecil Bernstein and Sidney Bernstein.

He joined as a trainee production assistant and within two years was directing Coronation Street. After a time on the Street he joined Denis Mitchell and Norman Swallow on This England and began to learn the craft of documentary making.

From there he moved onto World In Action, making programmes in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Chile, Uganda and most other ‘hot spots’. He later made the award-winning two hour documentary, Who Bombed Birmingham? He also worked on a number of Disappearing World programmes in Brazil.

In all he made 110 World In Action’s. He left Granada in 1998.