Radio Moments - Clips

A BBC Radio Scotland educational broadcast for primary school children - on producing the Radio 1 breakfast show in the days of Simon Mayo. 

The announcement of the death of Queen Elizabeth II on a selection of national UK radio stations.  With Twitter beating them all in timeliness, by its very nature, it shows, nevertheless, the role for radio in today's media world. A human voice leading listeners through challenging times.

Tony Lyman began his radio career in hospital radio at Radio Nene Valley – whilst working as a postie - before making his radio debut on board the Voice of Peace, anchored just off Tel Aviv.  From there, he joined Trent in Nottingham in May 1979, assuming the role of relief presenter before graduating to his late-night slot, for which he’s fondly remembered on a station which then owned its market. He spent time too at the then National Broadcasting School as he honed his craft. Like many, he progressed up the schedule, with spells on breakfast and on the mid-morning show – and moving across to Leicester Sound at its launch, before returning to Trent.   The East Midlands was to become his long-term home, appearing on the oldies service GEM AM, Classic Gold, Century 106 and Saga Radio before moving to BBC local radio, eventually settling down at BBC Radio Derby. Tony was a calm, quiet operator who, like many presenters, just got better and better as a natural, witty communicator. In this audio, hear Tony’s early Trent work, then Classic Gold – and clips from what was to be his final programme on Radio Derby. Tony died in May 2021.

This montage illustrates how UK radio broke into regular programming on the event of the death of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh on Friday 10th April 2021. The gaps are as broadcast – there were several handbrake turns, as the internal procedures demanded. It does not do justice to the many thoughtful links by so many broadcasters as the day unfolded – and the carefully crafted obituary pieces aired.

In the most expected move in UK radio, Simon  Mayo transfers from Scala weekdays to Greatest Hits Radio. He calls upon the decent 'new term' analogy - just as he did when beginning  Radio 1  breakfast.

When Simon arrived at Bauer-owned Scala Radio, a few of us stroked our chins and thought he'd turn up on Greatest Hits Radio before too long. On the 1st February 2021, he announced just that.

How many true radio greats are on air in a generation? A dozen? Jane Garvey is high on my version of that list.  And if the list is a chart, she's still on the way up. She leaves Woman's Hour at just the right time to carve out a Jane-shaped future - where she can own the next decade in UK radio and beyond. Like most greats, her brilliance sounds effortless - and, frankly, I doubt she does have to put in the effort many would have to when seeking anything like the standards she does. Authentic, irreverent, intelligent, honest. All the traits which show radio at its best. A baby boomer - just - inspired by the likes of Janice Long - and the poetic Ray Moore, she arrived at Radio 4's Woman's Hour via Radio Wyvern in Worcester, BBC Hereford and Worcester and the launch of BBC Five Live.  Thirteen years later, she left the programme  - and this clip is from the final edition of Woman's Hour on 31st December 2019. She's joined by the wonderful Elizabeth Day - who will also be a big part of radio's next era - and I've gone to pains to add on Jane's intro to the drama at the programme's end...

What a wonderful culture clash - with Alan Freeman at his peak hosting Pick of the Pops and hitting a Radio 2 junction.

27th September 2020 saw Keith Skues hit the stab on Mr Tambourine Man for the final time, as his 500th show marked the end of his broadcasting career at the BBC, aged 81.  As he previewed some of the songs to come, he conceded that he might not fit them all in. Last shows can be like that.  Other choice moments included: “Are you familiar with a gentleman called Tim Davie?” “Keith: ‘Why should I be?” His 60-year career included: the British Forces Network in Cologne; pirate radio on board Caroline and London; BBC Radio 1 at its launch; programme director of Radio Hallam; and a long spell in BBC Local Radio. His farewell show was broadcast across local radio in the East of England across BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, BBC Essex, BBC Radio Lincolnshire, BBC Radio Norfolk, BBC Radio Northampton, BBC Radio Suffolk and BBC Three Counties Radio. Ten minutes before the end, hear him express his regret for never finding a wife. Anyone who knows how Keith works know how well he prepares each show.  There are moments here he clearly couldn’t. 

The style and voice of characters like Cousin Brucie dominated AM radio in the 50s and 60s in the US - whilst life in UK radio was altogether more sedate. Gradually, life changed there as it has here. He moved around and his famous WABC went all talk.  But in 2020 - some 46 years since he appeared on the station, he was back - aged 84.  The chap who'd listened to Bruce Morrow as a kid ended up buying the station - and, off peak, chose to give his old hero another go. Brucie was back - with his old jingles and his old reverb. 'You can imagine why I'm so emotional'.