Hugh Barker RIP

A BBC TV sound supervisor, renowned in the LE field, appointed in 1993.

On leaving school Hugh Barker qualified at the British School of Wireless Telegraphy and then joined the International Marine Radio Company, serving for three years as a radio officer in the Merchant Navy. After completing his National Service in the RAF, where he worked on experiments in radio jamming, Hugh joined the BBC in 1954 – originally to work in radio, but changing to television at the first interview.

After completing the course at the Engineering Training School at Wood Norton, Hugh joined BBC Television at the Lime Grove studios to work as a Sound Supervisor, a post which at that time did not form part of the crew system and was individually allocated to programmes.

Most of Hugh’s work was for the Light Entertainment department, working for such legendary producers as Yvonne Littlewood and Stewart Morris, which gave him, as he says “the privilege of working with world class artistes and orchestras” including series with Vera Lynn, Rolf Harris, Shirley Bassey, Petula Clark, Cilla Black and Nana Mouskouri and guests such as Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Eartha Kitt and many others.

Other career highlights included a two week secondment to ZDF Television in Munich and six weeks working for Dubai Television in their studios and on OBs. While the BBC Television music studio was closed for refurbishment Hugh worked for several months in many of London’s major commercial studios, including Lansdowne, CTS, Olympic and Abbey Road, recording music for BBC drama and sitcom programmes. He retired from the BBC in 1992.

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