Hockey Writers’ Club (HWC) secretary Ken Wilson, a BBC radio producer who became a leading light as a hockey volunteer in recent years, has sadly passed away, aged 65. Ken died peacefully in hospital after a short fight with Lymphoma.
Ken worked for the BBC for over 30 years, working his way up to the position of senior sports producer for the World Service. He covered three Olympic Games, football World Cups and Wimbledon tennis championships.
Ken was a producer at his first Olympics at Sydney 2000 and as a producer was responsible for overseeing the World Service’s Olympic Sportsworld programme. With his knowledge on the global sports scene, he was also insightful on hockey on the sub-continent.
“He gave me the chance to be one of the first female football voices on BBC local radio back in the late 1980s,” Sue Webb wrote. “Not at all surprised he went on to have a hugely successful career – such a clever, helpful, kind, thoughtful man.”
Joining the Hockey Writers’ Club committee in 2015, Ken later became secretary in 2016 up until his death.
The HWC said: “Anyone who knows Ken knows that his family, wife Kaye and children Hannah and James, meant everything to him. Ken was married to Kaye, for 36 years, after being a customer at the bank where she worked.
“Ken was such a light in this sometimes dark world and he will be deeply missed by all who were lucky enough to know him — touching the lives of so many people across multiple generations. Ken made a point of always helping anyone with whatever he could, never second-guessing his decisions.
“Always smiling, Ken had been described as ‘one of the loveliest and kindest people’ known, giving up his time in numerous volunteer and charity positions.”
He was an avid sports fan, and season ticket holder for his beloved Watford FC, Ken passed on his passion for sport to his children, James and Hannah. James and Hannah attended many sporting events with Ken, including the London Olympics, Wimbledon, summer athletics, hockey matches and Watford FC games.
Ken Wilson, 1956 -20222
