Former TV boss Sir Bob dies at 64

Sir Bob Phillis, a former deputy director general of the BBC and chief executive of the Guardian Media Group, has died at the age of 64.

He began his career in the printing industry and went on to become managing director of the TV Times, Central TV and Carlton Communications.

He was chief executive of ITN before joining the BBC in 1993. He left in 1997 to work for the Guardian.

Sir Bob retired from the Guardian in 2006 after being diagnosed with cancer.

He was diagnosed with early-stage bone marrow cancer in 2005.

He was the current president of the Royal Television Society.

As chairman of production house All3Media, he was behind dramas such as Wild at Heart and Ultimate Force for ITV.

His resigned from the board of ITV plc in October 2007 after deciding that the role conflicted with his chairmanship of All3Media.

He also served on the board of the Lawn Tennis Association.