Veteran comedy producer John Howard Davies has died at the age of 72.

After an initial short career as a child actor, Howard Davies worked outside of showbusiness before joining the BBC as a production assistant. Whilst at the corporation he produced and directed series of some of the network's most popular and influential comedy successes: Fawlty Towers, The Good Life, The Goodies, Monty Python's Flying Circus, Steptoe And Son and All Gas And Gaiters were amongst those that he worked on.

Between 1977 and 1982, he was the BBC's Head of Comedy, responsible for launching series such as Citizen Smith, Yes Minister, Not The Nine O'Clock News, Only Fools And Horses, To The Manor Born and 'Allo 'Allo!. He also produced the pilot episode of Blackadder.

After his role as BBC Head of Comedy, John became Head of Light Entertainment at Thames Television.

Whilst at the London ITV station, he was responsible for another string of comedies, including Mr. Bean, No Job For A Lady, and TV adaptations of Radio 4 sitcom After Henry and Daily Mirror cartoon strip Andy Capp. In the 1990s he worked freelance between various networks, with further credits at this time including The Vicar Of Dibley.