Personalities
Granada Television has introduced many broadcasters and television personalities to British television and had a number of directors, producers and writers who have formed their own production companies. Some have been recognised for their achievements to British television with honours such as knighthoods, while others achieved senior posts such as Director-General of the BBC. Jeremy Isaacs developed a significant portion of Granada's factual programming, and the company produced a generation of major British TV 'players' including Lord John Birt, later Director-General of the BBC, and Lord Gus Macdonald, his fellow World in Action producer. Many began work as researchers on the World in Action.
- Writers, directors and producers
- John Birt, Baron Birt started his career at Granada in 1966 as a researcher for World in Action before leaving in 1971. He became Director-General of the BBC from 1992 to 2000.
- Gus Macdonald was a researcher in 1967 and worked with John Birt before leaving nearly 20 years later in 1986.
- Andy Harries was researcher before starting his television career on World in Action and worked in various roles until the 2000s.
- Nicola Schindler was a script-writer on Cracker in 1993 before forming the Red Production Company.
- Jeremy Isaacs joined Granada in 1968 where he supervised production of World in Action and What the Papers Say.
- Paul Abbott is a former screenwriter who created State of Play and Shameless.
- Russell T Davies collaborated with Paul Abbott as a writer in the 1990s.
- Paul Greengrass was a director of current affairs program World in Action in the 1980s before becoming a film director.
- Kay Mellor worked with Paul Abbott on Children's Ward and wrote other drama serials such as Strictly Confidential and Between the Sheets.
- Tom Hooper directed two episodes of Cold Feet and directed Prime Suspect before becoming a film director.
- Michael Apted begun his television career and stayed for over twenty years. He devised the Up series documentary.
- Jack Rosenthal was a prolific playwright producing The Dustbinmen and The Lovers.
- Presenters
- Sir Michael Parkinson began his television career at Granada Television.
- Tony Wilson presented Granada Reports and music programmes which promoted Manchester music which gave him the nickname Mr Manchester.
- Gordon Burns joined in 1972 and presented Granada Reports, World in Action and the Krypton Factor.
- Richard Madeley joined Granada in 1982 where he met Judy Finnigan who joined as a researcher in 1972.
- Sacha Baron Cohen had a chatshow, F2F on Granada Talk TV in 1996.
- Lucy Meacock is Granada news presenter since 1988 and occasional presenter for the ITV national news.
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