There will be another opportunity to see a poignant portrayal of the late Dr Meredydd Evans on S4C tomorrow night following the news of his death aged 95.
The programme Merêd will be shown on Wednesday 25 February 9.30pm (English subtitles) and offers an engaging portrayal of the Welsh folk song historian, philosopher and light entertainment producer from Tanygrisiau.
The programme, produced by Cwmni Da, was first shown in March 2014 and features a series of extended interviews with Dr Meredydd Evans; including one held at his home in Cwm Ystwyth, which was to be one of his final interviews before retiring from the public eye.
Through contributions from friends, admirers and family members, we are given a close-up portrait of an indefatigable campaigner for justice to Wales and the Welsh language, who has also directly contributed to its culture.
Paying tribute to Dr Meredydd Evans, following the announcement of his death on Saturday 21 February, S4C Authority Chairman Huw Jones said:
"'Merêd' was probably the first Welsh language pop star. With his velvety voice, his catchy songs and good looks, he charmed a generation in the 40s and 50s as a member of 'Triawd y Coleg'. But he was much more than that. As a TV producer and then head of entertainment at BBC Wales, he felt passionately the need for popular programmes which would appeal across the nation, and he knew what was needed to make them happen.
"Later, as a tireless campaigner, he provided inspiration and leadership in the campaign which led to the setting up of S4C, and he was a firm but courteous critic of the subsequent efforts of Welsh broadcasters to reach their goals. With his ground-breaking work, alongside his wife Phyllis, in popularising Welsh folk-songs and as a respected academic philosopher and teacher, he was a unique, significant and much-loved figure in the cultural life of Wales."
