Graduating from a school radio station – to emerge as a familiar face on ITV in the Channel Islands via a successful spell in commercial radio programming, this is story of Gary Burgess. In this hour of Radio Moments Conversations, Gary tells of his childhood in South Africa and his early enthusiasm for radio, leading eventually to early work at Blackpool’s Radio Wave on moving with his family back to the UK. Having risen through the ranks to the post of programme Controller, Gary seized the rei...
Dec 29, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 115
The shy schoolboy whose commanding voice went on to dominate London’s news bulletins for a generation. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, Howard Hughes tells of his life – from his childhood love of TV continuity to success in a local radio contest landing him his first fifteen minutes of fame – and ultimately the start of a career - on Radio City. He opens up about his various spells at BBC local radio – and shares stories so typical of the age from a new Radio Wyvern in Worcester...
Nov 19, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 114
From helping out on a charity appeal to dominating late night music radio for generations. In this hour of Radio Moments – Conversations, Graham Torrington tells how his early love for radio led to his arrival at BRMB to help with the annual Walkathon. Graduating quickly from occasional shows to daytime contemporary radio, he quickly made his mark before the potential of a late-night love songs programme was unleashed. Pushed aside from the station he loved, he moved to the challenged Buzz FM an...
Nov 05, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 113
The teenage tape reclaimer - whose DNA now remains across UK radio and whose influence is felt around the World. Clive Dickens opens up rarely – and looks back even more rarely. In this hour of Radio Moments Conversations he shares the journey from his roots at a new Chiltern Radio and how he speedily scaled the heights to group programme director. As the industry began to consolidate, he tells of his move to the Capital Group, working with Richard Park – and the challenges and opportunities of ...
Oct 09, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 112
The rookie press journalist who rose to head Channel 4 News and Current Affairs -via a love of radio. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, Louisa Compton tells of her life – with an early interest in breaking news leading her into a local press title before dropping into her local station, BBC Three Counties Radio. Colleagues in London quickly spotted her abilities and she edged into a career in Network, rising up the ranks at 5 Live, before moving to head Newsbeat at Radio 1. With t...
Sep 08, 2020•58 min•Ep. 111
The boarding school boy who helped out during the holidays at a commercial station and rose to head the BBC’s racing commentary. In this hour of Radio Moments Conversations, Cornelius Lysaght tells of how he charmed his way through the door of Severn Sound in Gloucestershire to help out during the holidays - working his way quickly to handling some of the UK’s top stories of the time from the newsroom. In the snowiest of winters, he fondly remembers helping out on the famous Snow Lines and Flood...
Aug 14, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 110
This is a secret episode! Over the course of this series, several folk have asked whether I’d (David Lloyd) ever be interviewed. Several luminaries kindly volunteered to interview me. Given the calibre of all the other subjects, I felt reticent. But – with lockdown and also passing 100 episodes - I thought I might succumb. I invited my oldest friend, Mark Runacus MBE to pose the questions. He and I met at hospital radio and he went on to accomplish a huge amount in the ad world. Radio missed his...
Aug 01, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 109
The Glasgow car-washer who became BBC Radio 2’s longest serving mid-morning presenter – and a national treasure. In this hour of 'Radio Moments – Conversations', Ken Bruce tells of his Glasgow childhood and his foray into accountancy before alighting on the career which was to dominate his life. After hospital radio, he joined the BBC in Scotland where he appeared on the first day of its dedicated Radio Scotland in 1978. Having then dipped his toe in BBC UK network radio from Scotland, he ventur...
Jul 18, 2020•59 min•Ep. 108
The Liverpool schoolboy who rose to a major profile as a presenter – before devising the service which provided late-night network programming to UK commercial radio and launching a leading multi-platform production company. In this hour of Radio Moments Conversations, Rob Jones tells of his life, with a career beginning as a presenter at the launch of Radio City before transferring to the mighty Radio Luxembourg. He opens up about the disappointment of not being called up for Radio 1; but how h...
Jul 05, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 107
From history student to running one of the early commercial radio networks. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations, Colin Mason tells of his move to the US where he indulged his love of radio whilst studying – and how he persuaded his way through the doors of local stations there. Back home, after a short spell at the BBC, he moved to TV as a continuity announcer before returning to the Corporation at BBC Radio Durham and Radio Bristol. As commercial radio began across the UK, Colin tell...
Jun 16, 2020•58 min•Ep. 106
From music student - to delivering an environment for commercial radio fit for a digital age – and a fascinating life beyond. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments Conversations’, Lisa Kerr tells of her life - moving from promising music student to eager helper at Radio Forth before graduating to Classic FM. She opens up about the successes and challenges of her first management role at Channel Travel Radio as it grew into the small-scale radio group Radio Services Ltd. Transferring to commercial radio...
Jun 09, 2020•57 min•Ep. 105
From a chef and hairdresser - to becoming one of Liverpool’s leading on-air characters. In this hour of Radio Moments – Conversations, Pete Price tells of his early years on stage at a colourful time in Liverpool’s before making his debut on BBC Radio Merseyside. After more years as a comedian and singer, tempted back to Radio City, he was offered the late-night phone which he made his own. Shunted from Radio City across Magic, City Gold and the first and subsequent incarnation of City Talk, the...
Jun 04, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 104
He rose from being a BBC administration assistant to holding the Capital breakfast show for around ten years in commercial radio’s formative years. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, Graham Dene tell of his childhood love of radio and his efforts to creep into the business via a post as an administrator with the BBC. A transfer to the BBC library followed, from which he met the key individuals who would lead to his first on-air job at a factory radio station. He tells of life insid...
Apr 29, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 103
He was the disgraced schoolboy who was to become the first presenter on Capital Radio in 1973 – and on-air in the first week of Radio 1. In this hour of Radio Moments – Conversations, David Symonds talks about his life journey from the challenges of his youth - and his acting ambition - through his early days on air in New Zealand. He tells of his early days announcing programmes for the Home Service and Light Programme – and preparing to go on-air on early evening across the first week of Radio...
Apr 23, 2020•53 min•Ep. 102
From working as a car park attendant and being turned down by the BBC - to hosting some of the biggest slots on the UK’s largest stations. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, Simon Mayo speaks candidly about his life and career, from his early experiences at hospital and student radio, through his days at BBC Radio Brighton and Radio Nottingham. Then - spotted by the BBC - he climbs quickly to Radio 1, where he graduates to the breakfast show and then on to the mid-morning show wher...
Apr 12, 2020•59 min•Ep. 101
From a place behind a newsagent's counter armed just with a single O’ level – emerging as a leading influence in getting the business of brand-based commercial radio into shape as Group Commercial Director at Chrysalis, then COO at Global Radio. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, Don Thomson tells of his days at the mighty Kelloggs, before alighting on a career in radio at a colourful Piccadilly in Manchester. He moved to LWT, before establishing a national radio airtime sales agen...
Mar 30, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 100
Having helped to establish one of the leading in-store stations in London’s Top Shop, he rose to lay the foundations of the mighty Smooth brand. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, Steve Collins tells of growing up and the keen pirate radio influences which led him to answer a press ad leading to an enlightening journey to Tel Aviv - and then offers fascinating insight into life on-board the Voice of Peace. Back on land, he walked into Top Shop and established a radio station proper...
Mar 24, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 99
Her warm Canadian tones graced UK radio stations for over twenty years. In this hour of Radio Moments Conversations, Diana Luke tells of how she fell into radio whilst reviewing a book at Hallam, leading to a role as Viking’s first female broadcaster. As her reputation grew across Yorkshire, Diana was summoned to be part of the new commercial radio late-night networked service ‘The Superstation’ where she worked alongside the greats like Johnnie Walker, Bob Harris – and was produced by a young C...
Mar 03, 2020•53 min•Ep. 98
From football reporter - to becoming one of the leading figures in a generation of commercial radio, this is the story of Steve Orchard. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments Conversations’, Steve tells of his schooling and education; and a first career in social work, honing skills he was take with him throughout his life. An interest in hospital radio led to opportunities at Wiltshire Radio which flourished as the station evolved into the new GWR, where he hosted the breakfast show. As GWR grew, so d...
Jan 15, 2020•59 min•Ep. 97
He was the local press journalist who went on to be one of BBC radio sport’s most familiar voices – and whose style was to define BBC Radio 5 live at launch. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments Conversations’, John Inverdale tells of his early days in local press before a chance pub meeting led to an opportunity at the new BBC Radio Lincolnshire. An attachment to London saw him reporting and sports bulletin-reading on the Radio 4 Today programme and then across to BBC Radio 2 to host Sport on 2. As B...
Dec 20, 2019•59 min•Ep. 96
He rose from humble but determined roots in Wales to become one of the leading radio journalists of his generation. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, John Humphrys opens up about his life, resulting more in an encyclopaedia of World history rather than of media. He tells of his early days in press, where he not only wrote stories, he delivered the newspapers. Spurning a job at the Times – he moved to television where he was to be the first reporter on the scene at the Aberfan disa...
Nov 10, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 95
Plucked with no experience to appear on a new Radio 210 in Reading, he was to become the fourth ever Radio 1 breakfast host. In this hour of Radio Moments – Conversations, Mike Read tells of the surprise jump from a musical career to one where radio played lead. He relates how his commercial radio spell began and shares memories of the eccentric early days in that new industry. Following an unexpected rise in profile with a TV’s ‘Pop Quest’, he recalls how he was then lured to join Radio Luxembo...
Oct 26, 2019•57 min•Ep. 94
His life in radio began, aged 16, in Canada – and his distinctive voice was to be heard on the UK’s biggest stations. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments Conversations’, David Jensen tells of growing up in Canada and making his radio debut, before moving, aged just 18, to a new life at Radio Luxembourg in the days when it commanded UK evening listening. Advised to get some UK experience, ‘Kid’ alighted at a brand-new Radio Trent in Nottingham in the challenging times so typical of those early days of...
Oct 05, 2019•56 min•Ep. 93
It was his love of radio which governed his choice of university – before a career which saw him emerge as one of the key UK radio programmers of his generation – leading the way on research and the psychology of radio. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments Conversations’, Francis Currie shares his early hospital and student radio days and his graduation to a young Mercia Sound. He tells of his spell at LBC and onto his dream station ‘The SuperStation’, albeit past its glory days. On-air work followed ...
Sep 15, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 92
This is the story of the man who grew up simply wanting to be on the radio and emerged as one of the most musically influential and respected presenters in UK radio. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments Conversations’, Bob Harris tells of his time as an unlikely police cadet before his ambition to work in radio took him – alone – to London. He shares how he befriended John Peel and became his fill-in, and then moved to a more permanent BBC Radio 1 programme - and fronting the Old Grey Whistle Test. As...
Sep 10, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 91
She was the reluctant shorthand typist who never sought a role in front of the camera or microphone – but was to be invited to play a role in some of the UK’s biggest stations. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments Conversations’, Lynn Parsons tells of her crazy childhood home and the early jobs which offered insight into a media world. She shares how her technical curiosity led to appointment as a camera operator, a job she loved – and a role in the launch of TV AM. Her radio love started in hospital ...
Aug 18, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 90
A man who never hankered after a job in radio, but was to be recognised as the driving force behind one of the most successful early small local radio stations – Moray Firth Radio based in Inverness. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments Conversations’, Thomas Prag confesses to an easy upbringing and his laziness, before falling into the BBC. He recalls his early training days – in Bush House and pushing the buttons for Alan Freeman on the legendary Pick of the Pops before moving to BBC Radio Oxford at...
Aug 16, 2019•53 min•Ep. 89
The boy from near Bristol who went from working in theatre to becoming the longest-serving Controller of Radio 1, this is the life of Andy Parfitt. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, Andy tells of his first radio memories, his love of music, and how he landed a BBC studio manager role. He shares stories from his early days at Broadcasting House, working with those whose backgrounds he detected as different from his own; and how he moved on to produce some legendary programmes along...
Aug 13, 2019•59 min•Ep. 88
He was the shoe salesman from Leicester who became the first presenter to graduate to Radio 1 – before falling out of the station in the 90s shake-up. In his hour of 'Radio Moments - Conversations, Adrian Juste opens up about his love of the 60s pirate stations which prompted his early work at young BBC Radio Leicester – and then on to BRMB where he didn’t really get on with management - or his breakfast show. He talks about jobbing for Radio 1 producing trails from his home studio; and the call...
Jul 27, 2019•58 min•Ep. 87
He emerged from modest roots and being a jobbing musician to become the brains and inspiration behind some of the UK’s most familiar media anthems. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments Conversations’ David Arnold tells of his childhood hopes and dreams when he began to appreciate and study music – and about the surprise and chance of his early opportunities. As a composer, conductor, arranger and producer, he shares the story of pitching for the first Essex Radio jingle package and how it opened the d...
Jul 21, 2019•53 min•Ep. 86
