Born in Leigh, Lancashire (now Greater Manchester), Taylor left school at 14 to join his family's firm of insurance brokers.

After the war he was auditioned at BBC Manchester by Bowker Andrews, producer, and initially mistaken as the tuner for the studio Bechstein piano.

He wrote radio series for 'Old Mother Riley' (Arthur Lucan and Kitty McShane) and worked with comedians Jimmy James, Robb Wilton, Dave Morris and Albert Modley.

In 1959, he began Taylor-Vision, TV and Radio Production Company and in 1960 Taylor produced the British version of Candid Camera.

[5] In 1961, Taylor was appointed Supervisor of Light Entertainment at ABC, working with Jimmy Clitheroe and Al Read and on programmes, Blackpool Night Out and Comedy Bandbox.