Michael Langley Evans died at home on 4 August 2023. He spent most of his BBC career working in Technical Operations, starting off in the World Service in Bush House. He was soon seduced by the bright lights of Television Centre, first in Sound Operations, where he became a respected boom operator on some of the greatest plays of the studio drama era, then as a Technical Manager, where his organising skills, and ability to very slightly bend the rules, eased the way for many Light Entertainment productions.

In the 70s, Michael was boom operator on classic studio productions including I Claudius and the BBC Shakespeare series. His many credits as technical manager include Top of the Pops and French and Saunders.

One particularly demanding series was The Paul Daniels Magic Show; its Easter Special won the international Golden Rose of Montreux Award in 1985.

Michael was always immaculately presented, even in the casual if not scruffy working areas of the large studios. He was generally known as Mike, but Michael always sounded more appropriate.

When not working, Michael’s main enthusiasms were twofold. His decorating skills went way beyond the usual understanding of ‘DIY’. In the mid 70s, he bought a large but totally rundown house overlooking Richmond. He spent a year or more of his spare time turning it into what could only be described as a mansion. Outside he displayed his Jaguar, one of a succession of Jaguars which he enjoyed driving and maintaining all his life.

Michael retired fully in 1999 and settled into retirement in the village of Bourne End in Buckinghamshire. He kept up his contact with broadcasting by joining regular lunches with work friends and enjoyed a quietly satisfying life, spiced up regularly with a spin in his beloved Jaguar.

In later years, his horizons were seriously narrowed by illness and the wider effects of the Covid pandemic, which cruelly affected both him and a close friend. His illness had been under control for a while, and he was working in his garden on the day that he passed away.

John Hoare and Richard Green

So very sad. He was the number 2 on Jim’s Crew 5 when I joined as a trainee.

I’ve been meaning to get in contact for too long and now I can’t.

I’ll always remember you Mike Langley-Smooth. RIP.

Nick WAY