Paul Birkbeck obituary

My father, Paul Birkbeck, who has died aged 80, was an artist and illustrator whose work is familiar to those of a certain generation brought up on BBC children’s TV programmes such as Crystal Tipps and Alistair, Play School and Jackanory. His distinctive style and keen eye for detail ensured that he became one of the BBC’s most-used artists through the 1970s and 80s.Born in Woolwich, south-east London, to Guy Birkbeck, a radio engineer, and Emma (nee Farringdon), Paul attended Brigh