In 1974 Heather also directed the telecast of Welsh National Opera’s world

In 1974 Heather also directed the telecast of Welsh National Opera’s world premiere production of Alan Hoddinott’s grand opera The Beach at Falesa. Heather pioneered the planning technique of spending weeks in advance of the production date familiarising himself with every nuance of the production during its rehearsal period.The first Glyndebourne opera he directed was Verdi’s Macbeth in 1972. This involved writing the camera script, directing the cameramen and working closely with the singers and the stage director.Heather loved music and got on well with everybody at Glyndebourne – from the prima donnas to the stage hands. Hitherto telecasts of operas had generally been last-minute affairs undertaken by busy directors of outside broadcasts who had many other irons in the fire.

In 1976 Heather wrote, produced and directed an innovative children’s show – Get This – starring Harry Fowler and Kenny Lynch. It set new standards for anarchic entertainment and earned Heather the first of five Bafta nominations.In 1971 Southern Television signed a long-term contract giving it the rights to broadcast two operas from Glyndebourne Opera Festival every summer on ITV (unthinkable these days). I was brought in as a freelance producer for these rather specialised transmissions but Southern TV selected one of their own staff directors – Heather – to be in charge of the cameras. This experience persuaded him that his future lay in television and he joined ATV in London three years later, then moving in the early 1960s to Southern Television.In 1966, aged 25, he became the youngest director in British television, working on, amongst many other programmes, the game show Wheel of Fortune (1969-71), with Michael Miles as host. David William Heather, television director: born Tunbridge Wells, Kent 17 February 1941; married 1983 Annie Thompson (one son, two daughters); died Tonbridge, Kent 16 April 2005.
Dave Heather’s career in television began as a 15-year-old, holidaying with his older brother John in Manchester, when he was given the opportunity to work in the studios of ABC.

He was rather proud to have been in 1964 one of the founders of the Paddington Churches Housing Association. He was also Chairman of the Christian Children’s Fund and served on the Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal. “I could not have done it all if I had not been a bachelor and not had loyal staff and partners,” he recalled.In 1993 he was appointed OBE and in 1997 he was awarded a Lambeth MA by Archbishop George Carey. Retirement was spent at a new home in Wells, where he was involved in cathedral life.Leigh Hatts. Dave Heather’s career in television began as a 15-year-old, holidaying with his older brother John in Manchester, when he was given the opportunity to work in the studios of ABC. Later, at the Confirmation of Election, when Bishop Richard was declared Bishop of the Diocese in anticipation of his enthronement, Faull was present not as Diocesan Registrar but as Proxy for the Dean and Chapter. At the enthronement, his fourth in St Paul’s, Faull was in the procession as Diocesan Registrar.By this time he had completed six years as senior partner at Winckworth & Pemberton and become a consultant there.

However, he was still Legal Secretary to the Bishop of Rochester and Deputy Registrar to the Diocese of Europe.Not all Faull’s work was a response to litigation or events. In 1995 he was present as Chapter Clerk when, in response to the Queen’s nomination, the Dean and Chapter elected the present Bishop of London, Richard Chartres. He was part of the cast when David Hope as Bishop of London caused a media frenzy by dramatically unmasking attempts by the militant gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell to “out” him. He held a record by also being for about 20 years simultaneously Registrar of Chelmsford, St Albans and Southwark dioceses.Although Faull could appear imposing and aloof on ceremonial occasions he was entertaining company and had a love of political intrigue. He was invited to join Milles Day, a Westminster firm of solicitors, where the senior partner was a diocesan registrar. Ecclesiastical law gradually took more and more of Faull’s time and in 1969 he was appointed Registrar of the London Diocese.

Meanwhile, he was Legal Adviser to the Bishop of London, David Hope, an opponent of women priests although supportive of women’s ministry, who was agonising about being present in the cathedral. In the end he attended as diocesan bishop sitting on his throne but taking no part in the ordinations.An only child, Faull was born at Newquay in 1929 and attended Taunton School in Somerset. Instead of going to university after National Service, he followed his parents’ advice and was articled to a City of London solicitor.Faull later became churchwarden at St James’s, Sussex Gardens, but claimed that his growing church work was an accident. Earlier in the day Faull had been waiting for a decision at the High Court in the Strand following legal action by an opponent. Judgment was given just 75 minutes before the service was due to begin.