Peter Bennett-Jones honoured

Top comedy producer and agent Peter Bennett-Jones is to be given the special prize at the Bafta Television Awards on Sunday.

He is the founder of production company Tiger Aspect, whose credits include Blackadder, the Vicar of Dibley and Mr Bean, and of talent agencies PBJ and KBJ, whose clients include Rowan Atkinson, Lenny Henry, Armando Iannucci, Eddie Izzard and Harry Enfield.

A former member of Cambridge Footlights, Bennett-Jones stepped down from his TV work earlier this year to devote more time to Comic Relief, which he founded with Richard Curtis in 1986.

John Willis, chair of the Bafta television committee, said: ‘Without Peter, British television would have been much less fun.

‘He has developed and inspired some of the finest talents in comedy, as well as masterminded one of our best known production companies. Yet he still found time to help create, and now lead, Comic Relief. His contribution has been immense.’

On receiving the Special Award, Bennett-Jones said ‘As a backstage boy I am thrilled by my moment in the Bafta limelight. My day jobs at Tiger and PBJ have allowed me to do my night job at Comic Relief and I am hugely proud that its importance has been recognised.’

Published: 19 May 2011