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UEL’s Chancellor Lord Rix is a star on Desert Island Discs

Tuesday 3 March 2009

Lord Rix

The University of East London’s (UEL) Chancellor Lord Rix was a guest on Desert Island Discs hosted by Kirsty Young yesterday, and the programme is repeated on Friday this week from 9am.

Lord Rix was invited on the popular Radio 4 programme by Kirsty Young and amongst other things, discussed his family and his work with people with learning disabilities. He also chose some interesting jazz records he would take with him to a desert island including Imagine My Frustration by Ella Fitzgerald with Duke Ellington and his orchestra and Love by Nat King Cole.

This year is a special one for Lord Rix as he will be celebrating his 85th birthday and Diamond Jubilee. He had a diverse and creative career in acting and theatre before joining UEL. He become the first Chancellor of the University in 1997.

Brian Rix became a professional actor at the age of 18 and for many years he brought farce to a large and appreciative audience – dropping his trousers thousands of times for the benefit of television viewers and theatre-goers. He became one of the most successful actor-managers in Britain.

When his eldest child was born with Down's syndrome, her birth prompted Lord Rix towards his extraordinary second career, which was as a campaigner and fundraiser and then the Chairman of Mencap in 1988. After he retired, Lord Rix became a trustee of the Theatre of Comedy Company and served on the Arts Council as Chairman of the Drama Panel and of the Monitoring Committee on Arts and Disabled People.

In January this year, Lord Rix hosted the Honorary Award Holders' Dinner at the House of Lords, with 100 distinguished guests. At this special occasion, Acting Vice-Chancellor of UEL, Professor Susan Price presented him with a vintage photograph of him and his wife, Elspet, from a royal garden party in 1952.

Professor Susan Price said: “We are incredibly lucky to have Lord Rix as our Chancellor – as colleagues and counterparts at other universities never tire of pointing out! He has proved to be quite exceptional, dedicated and determined to champion UEL’s cause whether on stage at graduation ceremonies, or from the benches of the House of Lords.”

Lord Rix said: "In recent years UEL has expanded dramatically, with wonderful new campus facilities, and is more than ever making a valuable and unique contribution to our region and to students from around the world."

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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