Huw Wheldon was born in Prestatyn, North Wales, in May 1916. He attended Friar's School in Bangor before studying at the London School of Economics. In 1939, at the outbreak of World War II, Wheldon volunteered for military service and joined the Royal Ulster Rifles. He landed in Normandy by glider on D-Day and was awarded the Military Cross on D-Day plus one. Wheldon finished the war as a Major and later taught philosophy and politics to soldiers in Palestine.
After the war, Wheldon became the Director of the Arts Council in Wales in 1947 and was awarded the OBE in 1951 for his work on the Festival of Britain. He then joined the BBC, where he quickly rose through the ranks to become a producer, working with notable figures such as General Brian Horrocks, Professor Robert Mackenzie, and Orson Welles.
In 1958, Wheldon became the Editor of the first arts magazine program on British television, 'Monitor', which he described as a "designated" position. He gathered a talented team, including John Schlesinger and Ken Russell, who would later go on to become prominent figures in the British film industry.
Wheldon left 'Monitor' in 1964, having interviewed everyone he wanted to, and began his career as a television administrator. He went on to become the Controller and then Managing Director of BBC television, overseeing what is now recognized as the "golden age" of BBC television. During this period, the BBC produced many iconic programs, including 'Civilization', 'America', and 'The Ascent of Man', as well as original drama and comedy.
Wheldon retired from the BBC in 1976 but returned to program making, producing the 13-hour documentary 'Royal Heritage' and 'Destination D-Day', a major documentary about the Library of Congress and the deceptions visited upon German intelligence by the British secret service prior to the Normandy invasions.
Wheldon was knighted in 1976 for his services to television and a BAFTA Award bears his name. He is also remembered for his influence on the industry and his claim to have invented the term "narrowcasting". Wheldon died in 1986 and his memorial service was held in Westminster Abbey.
