Tributes have been paid to two TV creatives who have passed away in recent weeks.
Glasgow-born Liam McArdle, who has died from oesophageal cancer at the age of 47, was a producer and director who had worked for BBC Scotland, Rogan Scotland, IWC Media and Firecrest Films, among others.
Rogan Scotland head Mark Hedgecoe remembered him as “deeply thoughtful and sensitive” with contributors.
McArdle had a “gentle and inclusive manner” and “constant warmth and humour”, and will be remembered for his “rigorous, tenacious and unflappable” approach as a journalist, Hedgecoe told Broadcast.
McArdle recently directed BBC3 doc series Body on the Beach: What Happened to Annie? and also worked on a string of IWC Media programmes including BBC Scotland’s Scotland the Rave and Selling Scotland and Channel 4’s Britain’s Most Historic Towns.
IWC head of factual Pauline Law said McArdle’s range spanned “from arts to darts”.
Firecrest managing director Nicole Kleeman paid testament to McArdle’s “brilliant” work on Supershoppers and Lifers: Behind Bars”, saying he “brought the best out of everyone he met”.
McArdle’s final project for BBC Scotland was an upcoming football doc with actor Dougray Scott. He had also been working with Firecracker on a true crime series for the channel before his death on 29 December.
Rebecca Hedderley
Meanwhile, Red Planet Pictures co-managing director Belinda Campbell has paid tribute to producer Rebecca Hedderly, who has died at the age of 53.
Hedderly was most recently series producer on series two and three of ITV1’s Jane Austen-inspired drama series Sanditon.
Campbell said she was the natural choice for the role, having first worked with her a decade previously on BBC1’s Casualty.
Describing Hedderley as “an inspirational leader” and “a creative powerhouse”, Campbell said she was “one of the wittiest, kindest and cleverest people in TV and managed to be both fearlessly forthright and also loved by everyone who worked with her”.
Hedderley’s other credits include BBC1’s Holby City, Merseybeat and Mayo. She also produced Dangerous Films' documentary Diana: Last Days of a Princess.
