After graduating in 1947 Cooke joined the BBC; apart from an interlude (1959–65) working as a freelance writer and critic, he worked for the corporation for the remainder of his life.
Po absolvování v roce 1947 Cooke nastoupil do BBC; kromě let 1959-1965, kdy působil jako spisovatel a kritik na volné noze, pracoval v BBC po zbytek svého života.