Joy Williams

Available for over a year

Joy Williams broke the mould when she became the first female Head of BBC Sport. Joy was a formidable force, the woman with the manly voice and a whistle and stop watch around her neck. Presenter Steven Rainey speaks to the people she influenced and her role in discovering some of the biggest names in sport broadcasting. A six-part series celebrating 100 years of the BBC where presenter Steven Rainey explores the archives to reveal some of the people who have helped shape broadcasting. In the fourth programme in the series, Steven looks back on the life and career of visionary Joy Williams. Joy began her career as a studio manager at the BBC in London in the late 60s, before coming to work in BBC Northern Ireland. She became Head of Sport at BBC Northern Ireland in the 1970s and is responsible for bringing a range of sport to a wider audience, including the introduction of coverage of Gaelic games. With contributions from Dame Mary Peters, broadcasters John Bennett, Jim Neilly, Mark Robson, George Hamilton, Mike Nesbitt and people who worked closely with her, Steven looks at the legacy of Joy Williams in sports broadcasting.