The world is a duller place without her

Tributes have poured in for TV comedy producer Joanna Beresford following her death at the age of 68. Beresford, who served as head of production at Avalon for over a decade until 2022, played a pivotal role in the production of popular shows such as 'Catastrophe', 'Taskmaster', and 'Not Going Out'.

Her impressive credits include the reboot of 'Spitting Image', a show she had previously worked on during the 1990s. Before her time at Avalon, Beresford worked for Talkback Thames, contributing to shows like 'The Armando Iannucci Shows', 'Da Ali G Show', and 'Smack The Pony'.

She was instrumental in bringing 'The Mary Whitehouse Experience' to television, helping to launch the careers of David Baddiel, Rob Newman, Steve Punt, and Hugh Dennis. Beresford also oversaw the ITV animated satire '2DTV'.

Avalon's co-founders Jon Thoday and Richard Allen-Turner led the tributes, praising Beresford as a 'universally loved' colleague. Thoday humorously recalled their first meeting in 1991, where Beresford chased him with a horse whip, marking the start of a long and fruitful partnership.

Thoday highlighted her remarkable contributions, especially during the Covid pandemic when her efforts were crucial to the company's survival. He described Beresford as a wonderful friend and colleague, whose energy, enthusiasm, and sense of fun were unmatched.

Allen-Turner added that Beresford's candidness, problem-solving skills, and leadership style inspired great loyalty among her team. Talkback founder Peter Fincham also paid tribute, acknowledging the debt owed to her by countless producers and production teams.

Source: Chortle (UK)

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