The Pilkington Report concluded that the British public were not being well-served by commercial television due to what it regarded as its American-influenced programming (such as westerns).

In 1930, Pilkington married firstly, Rosamond[7] Margaret, daughter of Royal Army Medical Corps Colonel Henry Davis Rowan, of Rathmore, Greystones, County Wicklow, Ireland.

He married secondly Mavis Joy Doreen, daughter of master reed-maker Gilbert Caffrey, of Woodleigh, Lostock Park, Bolton, and former wife of Dr John Hesketh Wilding.

[8][9][10][11] Pilkington was known for his 'warm-hearted personality'; when a young couple moved in nearby, they decided to grow roses but lacked the experience in pruning.

'[12] Knighted in 1953 New Years Honours List,[13] Pilkington was created a Life Peer on 18 January 1968, in the 1968 New Years Honours List taking the title Baron Pilkington, of St Helens in the County Palatine of Lancashire.