Former CBeebies controller Kay Benbow dies

Kay Benbow

Kay Benbow, the former controller of CBeebies, the pre-school channel operated by UK pubcaster the BBC, has died.

Benbow spent almost 30 of her more than 35 years in the children’s content industry at the BBC, though in more recent years served as a kids’ TV specialist on shows such as The World According To Grandpa.

She first joined the BBC in 1998 and rejoined in 2006 after a short spell away. She became controller of CBeebies in 2010 and was interim director of BBC Children’s in 2014 after Joe Godwin resigned.

Benbow served as controller of CBeebies for seven years, exiting in 2017 in a shake-up that saw Cheryl Taylor appointed as content chief. That same year, she was awarded an honorary doctorate for her services to the industry.

A BBC statement said: “Everyone in the BBC Children’s & Education department is incredibly sad to hear the news that Kay Benbow has passed away. Our most sincere condolences go to Kay’s husband, Ian, their sons and to the wider family.

“As the controller of CBeebies, Kay was known across the whole kids’ media sector for her passion and commitment to providing young children with the very best content. She was pivotal in taking CBeebies programmes into new and original areas, never afraid to stretch preschool minds into unthought-of territory – such as ballet, Shakespeare, mathematics, science and the joys of the annual live Christmas show.”