Counterpoint

Paul Gambaccini was born in New York City and earned degrees both from Dartmouth College in the USA, and from Oxford University.

Paul began his British broadcasting career on BBC Radio 1 in 1973, where he presented the US Chart Show for some eighteen years. He was a founding presenter on Classic FM in 1992, and has more recently worked on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 2. In 2008 he took over the chair of Radio 4's perennial music quiz, Counterpoint.

For thirteen years Paul reviewed films for breakfast television, first on TV-am and then GMTV. His other television appearances include Call My Bluff, Music For The Millennium, and The South Bank Show.

Paul was co-author of 'The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles' and related titles, with Tim and Jo Rice, between 1977 and 1996. Paul's own books include 'Love Letters', 'Radio Boy', 'Top 100 Albums' and 'Track Records'. 'The Ultimate Man', a musical co-written with Alastair King and Jane Edith Wilson, was produced at the Bridewell Theatre in London in 2000.

In 1995 Paul was named Philanthropist of the Year by the National Charity Fundraisers, for his work on behalf of the Terrence Higgins Trust. He received the Outstanding Contribution to Music Radio Award from the Radio Academy in 1996 and picked up the Sony Award for Music Broadcaster of the Year in 2003. Paul was inducted into the Radio Academy's Hall of Fame in December 2005.