TV exec appointed chancellor at UWE
A SENIOR television executive and producer has been appointed the new chancellor of the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol).
Sir Peter Bazalgette is the former creative chief and chairman of Endemol, where he was responsible for shows including Big Brother, Ready Steady Cook, Ground Force and Changing Rooms.
He will take up the role in July, succeeding Sir Ian Carruthers, who has been UWE Bristol’s chancellor for 13 years. UWE said it had awarded Sir Ian the honorary title of chancellor emeritus in recognition of his commitment to the university.
Sir Peter is the former chair of Arts Council England and has spent six years as non-executive chair of ITV and three years on the UK Research and Innovation board. His current roles include pro-chancellor and chair of the council for the Royal College of Art; co-chair of the Creative Industries Council; and nonexecutive board member for the UK Department for Education.
Last year, he helped launch the Creative Industries Sector Vision, which sets out the shared ambition of government and industry to support the UK’s creative industries.
He said: “What an honour it is to become chancellor of a university which contributes so strongly to the creative industries. I hugely look forward to assisting UWE in its ambitious further development. Higher education is one of the UK’s jewels.”
UWE Bristol awarded Sir Peter an Honorary Doctor of Arts in 2016 for his contribution to media and the arts.
Sir Steve West, vice-chancellor of UWE Bristol, added: “The university has a longstanding relationship with Sir Peter, and his deep understanding of the arts will be a source of great importance for UWE Bristol as we continue to deliver education and research across the creative industries and navigate some of the challenges facing the sector today.”