He was the programmer, producer and radio executive who began peering through the studio window at Radio Top Shop - and ended up programming the first national pop/rock station in the UK and witnessing the rise and challenges of Chris Evans first-hand. In this hour of Radio Moments Conversations, John Revell tells of his radio life. He shares stories from the launch of the BBC’s pioneering days at GLR in London; and working on the Super Station which brought the UK its first major taste of daily...
Jun 25, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 85
He was the drama student who aspired to be a Radio 2 producer - but emerged as a key commercial radio innovator and business leader as the industry began to find its feet, make money and exploit new technology. In this hour of RadioMoments Conversations, Simon Cole tells of the opportunities and frustrations of BBC local radio - before moving to produce and manage programming at Piccadilly, where he pioneered commercial content and built PPM before leaving to found Unique Broadcasting; a move pr...
Jun 16, 2019•58 min•Ep. 84
Clutching a soldering iron, he arrived in commercial radio at the launch of Downtown Radio, in troubled times in Northern Ireland, rising to lead the station’s programming for an era. In this hour of ‘Radiomoments Conversations’. John Rosborough tells of his childhood dreams, the early days at Downtown Radio, building the studios, hosting early shows - and the challenges of the station’s newsroom in unprecedented times. He tells the story of his graduating through the programming ranks, its firs...
May 24, 2019•55 min•Ep. 83
From hospital radio to a leading role in a fast-changing commercial sector and then back on-air with the BBC, Stuart Linnell’s fifty years of radio make a fascinating story of sport, music presentation and management in a colourful radio age. In this hour of ‘RadioMoments Conversations’, Stuart tells of his early days at BBC Radio Birmingham, before moving to commercial radio to help launch Radio Hallam. A transfer to the new Mercia Sound followed, where he rose to PD and then an ever- growing M...
May 03, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 82
He graduated straight from uni to a huge career at Capital and Radio 2. In this hour of #radiomoments Conversations, Richard Allinson tells of his nervous days in university radio before arriving at Capital where he sat alongside the greats of the day who shared their wisdom. He shares the battle for London supremacy and his recollections of the stars he bumped into during his 17 year spell. A transfer with Radio 2 followed, where he hosted lates - and many of the key dayparts. He tells too of h...
Apr 12, 2019•58 min•Ep. 81
Few radio presenters enjoy a hugely successful career in broadcasting before going on to achieve even more in a second life. In this hour of #radiomoments ‘Conversations’, Paul McKenna shares his journey through radio’s most treasured posts – on to becoming an internationally renowned hypnotist, behavioural scientist TV broadcaster and best-selling author. He tells how his curiosity of the pirates and his love of listening to Capital led to him entertaining shoppers with Radio Topshop before rea...
Apr 09, 2019•53 min•Ep. 80
The boy from Wales whose dad recommended a BBC career – and who was to emerge as the production brain behind some of the UK’s most historic programmes and broadcasts. In this hour of #radiomoments Conversations, Peter Griffiths tells of his 1970s days training as a BBC studio manager for network radio and the World Service before graduating to produce Woman’s Hour - and to the Radio 4 presentation and continuity production team. His love of sport took him to the sport and outside broadcast depar...
Apr 09, 2019•58 min•Ep. 79
From a spell at BBC local radio whilst at teacher training college, he was to become a household name on children’s TV and one of the UK’s most distinctive radio broadcasters. In this hour of #radiomoments ‘Conversations’, the inimitable Tommy Boyd tells of his early days in BBC local radio and LBC - and how he quickly realised a childhood ambition in landing a top job in kids TV at Thames with Magpie. He opens up about the complex times at the original Talk Radio UK – how his programme’s reputa...
Apr 09, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 78
The man who started out doing the silly bits on regional TV and graduated to a 17 year stay on the UK’s then most influential commercial radio station – plus hosting one of the World’s most influential TV quiz shows. In this hour of #Radiomoments ‘Conversations’, Chris Tarrant opens up about how he fell into the world of commercial radio, and then how he was appointed to the helm of Capital breakfast in London. He tells of how the programme evolved – his relationship with his boss - his question...
Apr 09, 2019•57 min•Ep. 77
From stumbling into the BBC simply with a wish to ‘be in London’, she rose to head its biggest network. In this hour of #radiomoments ‘Conversations’, Lesley Douglas opens up about her puzzled early days in radio; her learnings at the elbow of the greats; and her rise alongside Jim Moir to steer BBC Radio 2 to dizzy heights. She talks of her happiest times, and of the significant challenges she faced. “What I would like to have been, and I may have failed in this sometimes, is somebody who allow...
Apr 09, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 76
He graduated from regional press in its hot metal days through a nascent commercial radio industry to a senior international role at RCS, the company whose market-leading software fuels stations around the world. In this hour of #radiomoments Conversations, Mike Powell tells of his early days at Devonair and his graduation to programme management at County Sound where he was to be the first to create a Gold format – and introduce computerised music scheduling. After playing a role in the consort...
Apr 09, 2019•59 min•Ep. 75
She’s been a familiar face on radio conference platforms around the World for decades, commanding attentive audiences as she shares the secrets of ‘powerful radio’. In this hour of #radiomoments ‘Conversations’, Valerie Geller, who counsels authentic self-revelation from broadcasters, opens up about her own life. She tells of her early experiences as a welcome young caller on a phone-in on her local Los Angeles station, earning her own on-air shifts before moving around the US, speeding through ...
Apr 09, 2019•54 min•Ep. 74
From acting at Pebble Mill to reading the news on Radio 1, delivering the shipping forecast on Radio 4 and playing rude songs on Radio Trent, this is the life of velvet-voiced Bill Bingham. In this hour of #radiomoments ‘Conversations’, Bill tells of his early years in drama and his accidental arrival at the BBC’s new radio station in Birmingham. He relates tales of the birth of Liverpool’s Radio City and the transfer to Nottingham’s Radio Trent, where he hosted a variety of shows as the station...
Apr 09, 2019•59 min•Ep. 73
He was the music-loving hair stylist who became responsible for an array of huge seventies pop hits – and then some of the UK’s iconic radio programmes. In this hour of #radiomoments ‘Conversations’, Phil Swern talks of his break into the record industry and then how he ventured into music production. From the contacts he’d made in the radio world, Phil tells of how he graduated to a young Capital Radio and Capital Gold, before being tempted to BBC Radio 1. He relates tales of producing the grea...
Apr 09, 2019•51 min•Ep. 72
This is the life story of the commercial radio broadcaster who fulfilled his dream to work on the local station he loved and how he became its most famous performer. In this hour of #radiomoments ‘Conversations’, Les Ross tells of the journey from a job at a registrar’s office to a new BBC Radio Birmingham and his launching the new Radio Tees, before the agony of his transfer to his beloved BRMB. He opens up about his personal challenges, and how he really feels about the management he’s experie...
Apr 09, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 71
Few radio broadcasters enjoy success in two continents. A Londoner by birth, but a childhood move to Australia dictated his accent and his early media home. Jono Coleman rose from ad script-writing to local radio programmes - and then national TV before graduating through the Australian radio ranks. On his return to London, the disruptive BBC GLR beckoned before joining the ranks of Virgin 1215 at launch, where his mischievous tenure on the Russ ‘n’ Jono breakfast show is well-remembered. In thi...
Apr 09, 2019•54 min•Ep. 70
From a small town in Western Australia - to commanding the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show in the early ‘90s, this is the life story of an enviably adaptable broadcaster, best known for his years on LBC where his fresh approach was to surprise Londoners who remember him with affection. In this hour of #radiomoments Conversations, Brian Hayes tells of the ins and outs of his early days in 1950s Australian radio; his innocent arrival at London’s Victoria station with his wife and a suitcase; the early ...
Apr 09, 2019•58 min•Ep. 69
This is the tale of one of the UK’s most respected broadcasters – and one who describes his first visit to a radio station as the most exciting day in his life. 2CR was his first professional port of call before moving to Juice in Liverpool, then making the headlines at Xfm before being tempted to One Golden Square, where his breakfast tenure at Absolute Radio, and its predecessor brand Virgin, lasted an impressive 12 years. All this, alongside BBC radio appearances, TV and his books. Christian ...
Apr 09, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 68
The UK began to know and love Dale as a TV star, seemingly attracting overnight stardom as he strutted on screen as if he’d always been there. In his mind he had. Dale was always destined for success. This special edition of #Radiomoments ‘Conversations’ principally tells the story of Dale’s lengthy spell in radio with archive interviews from his early career, treasured radio clips and fond tales from those who worked with him. Drawing on some of his own words and many fond recollections, this h...
Apr 09, 2019•28 min•Ep. 67
This is the story of a man whose career grew from hospital radio roots to enjoy one of the longest commercial radio careers on national radio. In this edition of #Radiomoments ‘Conversations’, Russ Williams tells of his debut on a new Southern Sound before being lured north to a booming Metro Radio. A call from Richard Park secured Russ’s appointment at Capital, before he transferred to the launch of the national AM station, Virgin 1215. After years on breakfast with ‘Russ n’ Jono’, an enviably ...
Apr 09, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 66
To launch a radio station means you’ll never be forgotten. This is the story of the man who launched the first national commercial radio station in the UK. In this edition of #radiomoments ‘Conversations’, Nick Bailey tells of his early days in pirate radio before travelling to work in Australia and Hong Kong. He then relates tales of the pioneering early days of the unexpected success which was Classic FM - and of the ensuing twenty-five years at the station. In his own words, this is the Nick ...
Apr 09, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 65
He is the determined pirate radio disc jockey who won and kept a seat in Parliament. In this hour of #radiomoments Conversations, recorded in his Commons office, Sir Roger Gale tells of his dreams of becoming an actor which led to climbing the side of the Radio Caroline ship in before helping to set up pirate Radio Scotland and Radio 270. He relates the tales of life as a reporter at a young BBC Radio London before being called to help create the sound of new BBC Radio 1 news programme ‘Newsbeat...
Apr 09, 2019•56 min•Ep. 64
On walking through the door as a typist for the Light Programme, little did she know that one day she’d be trusted to whisper a word into the ear of the nation on the famous Today programme. In this hour of #radiomoments ‘Conversations’, Sue MacGregor CBE tells of her journey through South African radio on to the BBC’s World at One, Woman’s Hour and Today. She relates rich stories of a bygone BBC age, the risks she took as a journalist and the famous Today chemistries. In her own words, this is ...
Apr 09, 2019•59 min•Ep. 63
From aspirations of being an actress, she emerged as the award-winning contributor to a programme which was to guide Londoners through their emotional headaches in the ‘70s and ‘80s – and served to define a genre. In this edition of #radiomoments ‘Conversations’, Anna Raeburn tells of her early days editing the problem page of Woman magazine which led to her famous ‘Anna and the Doc’ days up the staircase at Capital’s Euston Tower - and then to her time at the then new Talk Radio UK. A gifted co...
Apr 09, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 62
He rose from the ranks of hospital radio to run a national commercial station – and be part of the BBC strategic team which established the Corporation’s current direction. In this hour of #Radiomoments ‘Conversations’, Paul Robinson tells of his early days on-air at Metro, a station which told him his presentation was ‘too glossy', to an enjoyable spell down the road at Radio Tees. He shares his Mercia days and then the management spell at Chiltern’s growing group before graduating to the post ...
Apr 09, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 61
This is the story of the man whose wind-up calls were to set him up for becoming a nationally known broadcaster. In this hour of Radiomoments ‘Conversations’, Steve Penk tells of his nervous beginnings at a young Piccadilly Radio in Manchester, and of the last-minute negotiations as he chose his first London gig. He relates the full story of the famous Tony Blair wind-up call; and of how he picked up the reins painfully from Chris Evans at Virgin. Steve also opens up about radio ownership and th...
Apr 09, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 60
The life story of a broadcaster whose career has spanned more than fifty years is worth hearing. In this episode of #Radiomoments ‘Conversations’, Tony Blackburn tells of his love for the medium to which he has devoted his life. Tony shares his happy childhood and his radio influences; his learnings from the pirate days; and his lengthy spell on BBC national and local radio. He speaks about launching Radio 1 – and opens up about the advice which has steered him through a lengthy career. In his o...
Apr 09, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 59
In this hour of #radiomoments ‘Conversations’, hear the story of the press journalist who dreamed of hosting a music radio show and who went on to lead some of the UK’s key stations at a pivotal moment in UK radio. Paul Chantler tells of his radio journey, from work experience and later presentation at BBC local radio, to leading the news and programme operations across a range of formats from Galaxy to TalkSPORT. He shares stories of the financially and technically worrying early years of UK co...
Apr 09, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 58
Few broadcasters begin their radio career with an afternoon show on Radio 1. Pat Sharp did, before dashing off to Radio Luxembourg and back again. In this hour of Conversations’, Pat Sharp tells of how his early breakthrough happened and how he felt when he realised his ultimate dream - daytimes on Capital Radio in London. He tells too of his success abroad, his hits, jingle collecting - and of STV’s Fun House, which helped even more people appreciate his distinctive hair style. In his own words...
Apr 09, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 57
This son of a Hollywood film producer would go on to star in Radio One’s launch day schedule. In this hour of Radiomoments ‘Conversations’, Emperor Rosko tells of his early life, his influences and his time on board Radio Caroline. He relates stories of how he was to rule France’s airwaves and recalls the story of Radio One’s approach and that first day on-air. In his own words, this is the Rosko story. The whole 'Conversations' series may be found here . Music by Larry Bryant....
Apr 09, 2019•40 min•Ep. 56
