In pictures: Michael Grade's highs and lows

Michael Grade - pictured here in 1966 - was born in 1943 into a celebrated Jewish showbusiness family that was originally called Winogradski (meaning 'town where wine is made'). His father was the theatrical agent Leslie Grade, while his uncles were the impresarios Lew Grade (who ran ATV, the Midlands ITV franchise) and Bernard (later Lord) Delfont, who was briefly head of EMI. Life wasn’t going to be boring Photograph: Evening Standard/Getty Images

Michael Grade, in 1969 with his father, Leslie Grade. In 1966 Leslie suffered a stroke and the 23-year-old Grade moved into his theatrical business as an agent; his responsibilities included looking after looking after Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise. He moved in 1969 to London Management & Representation and developed what he later called he later called his 'silver tongue'. Grade had earlier worked as a journalist on the Daily Mirror Photograph: Rex Features

In 1973 Grade joined LWT as deputy controller of programmes (entertainment), achieving the post of director of programmes in 1976. He worked alongside John Birt, pictured here, and Greg Dyke. Now whatever happened to them? Photograph: ITV/Rex Features

Michael Grade in 1978 with sports commentator Brian Moore and John Bromley, the creator of ITV show World of Sport. Three years later Grade had a stint in the US as president of independent production company Embassy Television and as an independent producer Photograph: Keystone/Getty Images

Michael Grade with his uncles Lew Grade and Bernard Delfont in 1987 Photograph: Nils Jorgensen/Rex Features

Grade - pictured here in 1987 - joined the BBC as controller of BBC1 in 1984. There was public outcry over decisions to stop importing the glitzy soap opera Dynasty and to order an 18-month hiatus for Doctor Who, a show he admitted he never liked. Grade was also attacked at the 1987 Edinburgh Festival by Channel 4 chief Jeremy Isaacs, who accused him of chasing ratings to the detriment of the BBC Photograph: BBC

During his time at the BBC, Grade's successes included repeating Australian soap opera Neighbours at teatime Photograph: AFP

In 1987 Grade jumped ship to Channel 4, replacing Jeremy Isaacs (who reportedly wept when he found out who his successor was). With a roll call of programmes including The Word (featuring viewers eating worms or bathing in pigs’ urine), Eurotrash and Dyke TV, Grade was quickly dubbed Britain’s 'pornographer-in-chief' by Daily Mail columnist Paul Johnson. But Grade also managed to introduce US imports Friends and ER as mainstays of the channel’s schedule and drove up its audience share from 7 to 11%. Grade is pictured celebrating the first 10 years of Channel 4 in 1992 Photograph: Rex Features/Times Newspapers

Grade also became embroiled in a dispute with Chris Morris over the satirical series Brass Eye. Grade repeatedly intervened to demand edits to episodes of Brass Eye and was rewarded by Morris with the broadcast of a single-frame subliminal message reading 'Michael Grade is a cunt' Photograph: Channel 4

In 1998 Grade was appointed CBE. The same year, he published his autobiography, It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time, in which he admitted that his obsession with work cost him his first two marriages Photograph: John Stillwell/PA

Charlton Athletic supporter Grade is a club director Photograph: Rex Features

Grade collected his cigars, red socks and power braces and left Channel 4 to head First Leisure Corporation, whose operations include Blackpool Tower (which Grade sold off), the Winter Gardens and all three of Blackpool’s piers Photograph: Don McPhee

In 1999 Grade returned to media as chairman of the new Pinewood Studios company. One of his first tasks was to scotch rumours that he was planning to turn the 100-acre Pinewood site in Buckinghamshire into a James Bond theme park Photograph: PR

In 2001 Grade missed out on the chairmanship of the BBC when the job went to Gavyn Davies - but Grade got the job he wanted three years later after Davies resigned following the Hutton report. Grade's one requirement was that he did not have to give up being a Charlton Athletic director Photograph: Dan Chung

Following the end of the first season of the revived series of Doctor Who in 2005, Grade wrote a letter to the BBC director general, congratulating all involved in the project on its success, signing-off with 'PS never dreamed I would ever write this. Must be going soft!' Photograph: BBC

In 2006 Grade resigned from the BBC to replace Sir Peter Burt as ITV chairman, becoming executive chairman just over a year later. He arrives at ITV’s HQ to a carefully orchestrated round of applause from staff. Had the saviour arrived? Photograph: Andrew Stuart/PA

Grade giving evidence to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport select committee at the House of Commons over the ITV phone-in row Photograph: BBC/PA

Grade stepped down as ITV executive chairman on 23 April 2009 amid an advertising crisis, job cuts and plunging revenues. He was also embroiled in a legal battle against the Times over a comment piece by another former LWT colleague, the ex-BBC director general Greg Dyke, who criticised his tenure at ITV Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty