Tributes were being paid this morning to former CBeebies controller Kay Benbow, who has passed away.
Benbow ran the Beeb’s kids’ output for around eight years from 2010-2018. She departed in January 2018 to works as a freelance children’s media specialist as part of a major overhaul of the BBC’s children’s department that saw the departure of several senior staff.
The esteem Benbow was held in was plain across social media this morning, with friends and colleagues describing her variously as “a titan,” “powerhouse” and “the best controller ever to run CBeebies.”
Lucky Socks Media founder Stuart Rowson was among those paying their tributes. He wrote on LinkedIn: “The world of children’s media has lost a titan – and a bloody lovely woman. Awfully sad news in the past 24 hours of the passing of Kay Benbow.
“Kay was a legendary leader of CBeebies and affectionately known as the Queen of Beebies by some of those still within BBC Children’s, several years after her departure.
“The channel won the RTS Channel of the Year Award five times during her tenure.
“A passionate Arsenal fan she was loved and admired by many. A season ticket holder at the Emirates she was as passionate about football as she was about kids’ content.
“In the last message I had from her before Christmas, she was full of praise for other people (as ever) and full of beans about Arsenal’s title chances.
“I never got to work with Kay directly, and didn’t know her as well as I’d have liked, but her impact on pre-school television is literally unparalleled.
“If you didn’t know Kay, know that many of the best pre-school titles that your children have watched for the past two decades will have come across her desk.
“As a former colleague told me this morning: “There isn’t another like her in the industry right now.”
There probably never will be.”
Claire Hoang, VP of ITV Studios social media, added: “Absolutely gutted to hear about the passing of the wonderful Kay Benbow. An absolute powerhouse of a woman – the world has lost someone special.
I’ve still got a message from her in my inbox talking about meeting up, but we never did. I missed the opportunity. Life is so short and there’s nothing like this as a reminder.
RIP Kay xx”
BBC Kids’ location manager Nigel P Harris said: “Can’t believe that we’ve lost Kay. The best controller ever to run CBeebies, a hard act to follow and all round lovely lovely person. Too young, a lesson to us all to live for today. So terribly sad.”
Another former CBeebies controller, Michael Carrington, who preceded Benbow in the role, departing in 2010 to join Turner Broadcast’s Cartoon Network Arabia in Abu Dhabi, added: “I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Kay Benbow.
During my tenure as Controller of CBeebies at the BBC, Kay served as Head of Production, and I had the privilege of witnessing her exceptional talent, dedication, and warmth firsthand. Her passion for children’s programming was evident in every project she undertook, leaving an indelible mark on the industry and audiences.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Kay’s kindness and unwavering support left a lasting impression on me. Her leadership and guidance were invaluable, and her presence will be sorely missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing her.
Although distance may have separated us geographically, the memories of our time together remain cherished. I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked alongside such a remarkable individual and to have shared in her vision for creating engaging and enriching content for young audiences.
My thoughts are with Ian, Daniel, and Sam – and all who were fortunate enough to call Kay a colleague, friend, and mentor. May her legacy continue to inspire and her spirit live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.”
Born in 1961, Benbow began working for BBC Children’s in 1988 and moved to CBeebies in 2002, the same year as the channel launched. She became the second controller of CBeebies in May 2010. In October 2014 Benbow became acting director of BBC Children’s following the resignation of Joe Godwin, until the appointment of Alice Webb in February 2015.
Under her control, CBeebies won the BAFTA Children’s Award for Channel of the Year in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2016. In January 2017, she was awarded an honorary degree from Sheffield University in recognition of her achievements in the industry and her commitment to research-informed understanding of young children’s engagement with television. In July 2017, it was announced that the post of controller of CBeebies would close and Benbow left the BBC shortly after.
Benbow said in a statement at the time: “I leave with pride, knowing that CBeebies is in great shape, is loved by the audience and will go from strength to strength. CBeebies will always hold a special place in my heart and, whilst my departure is tinged with sadness, I will work to effect a smooth transition to the new structure over the coming months before taking some time to decide where next.”
