Sir David Attenborough unveils plaque for Sir Hugh Carleton Greene

Sir Hugh transformed the fortunes of the BBC after it had been in crisis following the launch of ITV.

Sir David Attenborough unveils an English Heritage blue plaque to Sir Hugh Carleton-Greene, Director General of the BBC during the 1960s at his former home in Holland Park, west London.

Sir David Attenborough has unveiled a blue plaque in honour of a former BBC director-general who was accused of causing “moral collapse” by Mary Whitehouse.

Sir Hugh Carleton Greene transformed the fortunes of the BBC after it had been in crisis following the launch of ITV.

Clean-up TV campaigner Mrs Whitehouse called Sir Hugh the person “most responsible for the moral collapse that characterised the 60s and the 70s.”

She asked the BBC to remove the word “knickers” from a forthcoming transmission, a request he called “silly”.

Sir Hugh Carleton-Greene blue plaque — Greg Dyke and Sir David with the plaque in Holland Park, west London (John Stillwell/PA)

BBC2 and Radio 1 were launched during his time while shows included the satirical That Was The Week That Was and Ken Loach’s gritty drama Cathy Come Home.

Songs Of Praise, one of his programme ideas, is still on air today.

Naturalist and broadcaster Sir David said his former boss had the “highest humanitarian moral standards” and it was a “great privilege to work for this very distinguished man”.

Asked about his legacy, Sir David told the Press Association: “I don’t know you can say there’s a lasting legacy because the market place has changed so radically.”

Sir Hugh Carleton Greene named as successor — Sir Hugh Carleton Greene, pictured in London after the announcement of his appointment at the BBC (PA)

He turned the BBC from being “deferential” to the British establishment to “challenging” it.

BBC television was “back in the game” thanks to his work, Mr Dyke said, adding: “British programmes have become so popular around the world thanks to what he did.”

The English Heritage blue plaque was unveiled at 25 Addison Avenue in London’s Holland Park.

Sir Hugh died in 1987.