Tully was educated at Twyford School, Marlborough College and at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He studied Theology here.
After Cambridge, he wanted to become a priest but he abandoned the work just after two terms at Lincoln Theological College saying he doubts about ‘trusting his sexuality to behave as a priest'.
He joined the BBC in 1964 and moved back to India in 1965 as the India's Correspondent. Tully resigned from the BBC in July 1994 after an argument with the then Director General John Birt.
It was in 1985 when Tully was made an Officer of The Order of the British Empire.
