Gareth Gwenlan

Gwenlan was born at Tydfil Lodge, Merthyr Tydfil on 26 April 1937 though his birth was registered at Brecon. His father, Charles Aneuryn Gwenlan and his mother, Mary, née Francis were both teachers.[1][2]

Gwenlan attended Vaynor and Penderyn High School, Cefn Coed and for his National Service he joined the RAF National Serviceman in Cyprus. In 1960 he began his acting training at Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama in Sidcup and continued at the Theatre Royal in York.[3]

In 1983 he was appointed Head of Comedy for BBC Wales, a position he held until 1990. He famously rejected the sitcom Red Dwarf (in his capacity as BBC 1 Head of Comedy) stating that the sitcom would only work if there was 'a sofa in the spacecraft'.[4] This is the reason that the name 'Gwenlan' was appropriated in the 1st series, as a future swearword.[5]

Gwenlan was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to broadcasting.[6]

Gwenlan married three times: to Valerie Bonner, an artist, on 21 April 1962 in York and they had a child together. On 14 February 1986 he married Sarah Elizabeth Fanghanel, a personal assistant in Gwenlan. He had another child from a separate relationship. His final marriage was to Gail Susan Evans on 9 September 2000 in Putley where they lived until his death due to metatastic oesophageal cancer on 8 May 2016.[1]

• Gareth Gwenlan at IMDb