Tony Wilson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tony Wilson
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Hosting TV discussion After Dark in 2003
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Anthony Howard Wilson
20 February 1950 Pendleton, Salford, Lancashire, England
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| Died | 10 August 2007 (aged 57) Withington, Manchester, England
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| Resting place | Southern Cemetery, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester |
| Education | BA in English |
| Alma mater | Jesus College, Cambridge |
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Anthony Howard Wilson (born 20 February 1950 – died 10 August 2007) was a famous British person. He owned a record label, worked as a TV and radio presenter, and managed a nightclub. He was also a journalist for TV channels like Granada Television, the BBC, and Channel 4.
Tony Wilson helped start Factory Records, an independent music label. He also founded and managed the Haçienda nightclub. He supported many successful bands from Manchester, including Joy Division, New Order, and Happy Mondays. People often called him "Mr Manchester" because he did so much to promote the culture of his city.
His life and work have been shown in movies. Steve Coogan played him in the film 24 Hour Party People (2002). Later, Craig Parkinson played him in Control (2007).
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Tony Wilson's Early Life
Tony Wilson was born on 20 February 1950, in Salford, Lancashire, England. When he was five, his family moved to Marple, near Stockport. He went to De La Salle Grammar School in Salford. There, he discovered a strong love for books and language. This passion grew after he saw a play called Hamlet.
At 17, Wilson started working as an English and Drama teacher. He taught at Blue Coat School in Oldham. Later, he studied English at Jesus College, which is part of the Cambridge University.
His TV and Radio Work
After finishing university in 1971, Wilson started as a news reporter. He then moved to Manchester in 1973 and joined Granada Television. He hosted a show called So It Goes, which covered culture, music, and events.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, he was a main presenter for Granada Reports. This was a local evening news program. He worked with other presenters like Judy Finnigan and Richard Madeley. He continued this TV work even when he was very successful in the music world.
In the 1980s, Wilson reported for World in Action, an ITV news show. He also hosted parts of After Dark. This was the UK's first open-ended chat show, first on Channel 4 and later on BBC Four.
In 1988, Wilson hosted The Other Side of Midnight. This was another Granada show about music, books, and art. He also helped present the BBC's coverage of The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992. In the 1990s, he hosted quiz shows like Topranko! and Remote Control. He also hosted Masterfan, a quiz show about Manchester United.
In 2006, he became a political presenter for the BBC's The Politics Show. He also had a weekly radio show called Sunday Roast on Xfm Manchester. He also presented a show on BBC Radio Manchester. His last music TV show was filmed in December 2006 for Manchester's Channel M.
Music and Factory Records
Tony Wilson's journey into music began when he hosted the TV show So It Goes. He didn't like the music that was popular in the mid-1970s, like disco and progressive rock. In June 1976, he saw the Sex Pistols play in Manchester. He called this experience "nothing short of an epiphany," meaning it was a huge moment for him. He then booked them to play on the last episode of his show.
Wilson managed several bands, including A Certain Ratio and the Durutti Column. He was also a co-owner and manager of Factory Records. This record label was home to famous bands like Happy Mondays, Joy Division, and New Order. He also founded and managed the Haçienda nightclub and Dry Bar.
The music scene in Manchester during the late 1980s and early 1990s became known as "Madchester". Even though Factory Records and the Haçienda were very popular, Wilson didn't make much money from them.
In 2000, Wilson and his partners started Music33, one of the first online music stores.
A movie called 24 Hour Party People (2002) was made about his life. Steve Coogan played Wilson in the film. After the movie, Wilson wrote a book based on its story. He also had a small role playing himself in the film A Cock and Bull Story (2005). Wilson also helped produce Control (2007), a movie about Ian Curtis.
Wilson was also involved in music festivals and conferences. These included the annual In the City and Interactive City events. He was also a partner in F4 Records, which was the fourth version of Factory Records.
Tony Wilson's Beliefs
Tony Wilson considered himself a socialist. This meant he believed in fairness and equality for everyone. He chose not to pay for private healthcare because he believed everyone should have access to good healthcare.
He also strongly supported the idea of regional assemblies in England. He wanted regions like North West England to have more power over their own decisions. He helped start a campaign for a vote on this idea. Even though his campaign was successful, the idea was later stopped when another region voted against it. Wilson continued to speak about this topic at political events.
Family Life
Tony Wilson was married twice. First, he married Lindsay Reade. Later, he married Hilary Sherlock. With Hilary, he had a son named Oliver and a daughter named Isabel. In 1990, he started a relationship with Yvette Livesey. She was a former Miss England and Miss UK. They were together until his death in 2007.
Yvette Livesey later helped with a book about Tony Wilson's life. The book was called You're Entitled to an Opinion... and was written by David Nolan in 2009.
Illness and Death
In early 2007, Tony Wilson became ill with renal cancer, which is a type of kidney cancer. He had surgery to remove one of his kidneys. This meant he had to delay plans for a music festival. Sadly, the cancer continued to spread, and chemotherapy treatment did not work.
Tony Wilson passed away from a heart attack on 10 August 2007, at the age of 57. He died in Christie Hospital in Manchester. After the news of his death, the Union Flag at Manchester Town Hall was lowered to half-mast. This was a sign of respect for him.
His funeral was held on 20 August 2007, in Manchester. He was buried at Southern Cemetery. His gravestone was designed by Peter Saville and Ben Kelly. It has a special quote chosen by his family.
In 2015, a main square in Manchester was named Tony Wilson Place in his memory. A poem was also written about him by Mike Garry and broadcast on the BBC.
Images for kids
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The top of Wilson's gravestone, designed by Peter Saville and Ben Kelly.
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