Stuart Prebble, the television executive and journalist who created the BBC series Grumpy Old Men, has died at the age of 74 following a battle with pancreatic cancer. His family confirmed the news, prompting an outpouring of tributes from across the broadcasting industry.
Prebble began his career with a scoop while still a student at Newcastle University in 1972, when he helped arrange an impromptu concert by Paul McCartney's band Wings in the university canteen. The story made the front page of the student newspaper, The Courier.
After a five-year stint at the BBC, he joined Granada Television and became a key figure on the investigative programme World in Action. In 2001, he was appointed chief executive of ITV, but left the following year after the collapse of ITV Digital.
In 2003, Prebble created Grumpy Old Men, a hit series in which famous men such as Jeremy Clarkson and Bob Geldof complained about modern life. The show spawned a spin-off, Grumpy Old Women, featuring Germaine Greer and Ann Widdecombe.
Political broadcaster Michael Crick led the tributes, describing Prebble as “one of the most distinguished TV journalists of modern times.” Others praised him as a “talented, inspiring and creative TV executive” who navigated changing times with skill.
