Presenter profiles

How did you get into radio?

It was my mother's fault. She told me to answer an ad posted by the new local hospital radio station. I did. The rest is history. Mind, I had been using vacuum cleaner attachments as microphones for a long time by then...

Where else have you worked?

Ooooh, all over. From Channel 4FM in the United Arab Emirates to Radio Luxembourg, Jazz FM and British Forces Broadcasting.

After a spell at Radio Top Shop (earlier on), I worked at a small recording studio which made radio commercials. I literally made the tea for £33 a week.

Then I went to Capital in London and worked in the music studio there, laying out the kit for bands who came in to record their songs live. At the time radio stations couldn't afford to play records 24 hours a day and there was a weird loophole which meant if they came in and recorded their song live it didn't cost as much.

I worked with bands like The Police. In fact, I was laying out cables one day in 1979 and this band were really late and I remember saying to the engineer that I didn't think they'd amount to much and, half an hour later, there I was, carrying Sting's guitar up the stairs.

Any bad work memories?

It was an hour to air and I chucked away an interview with Sir John Gielgud that news had just recorded. And they didn't have a copy. Well, they did tell me to clean the area.....

Good ones?

Sitting cross legged on the floor in a studio with just the show's presenter next to me, watching the Bee Gees sing a cappella a millimetre in front of me.

Most interesting person you have interviewed for radio?

Julian Lennon. We were both nervous. It was the first radio interview he'd done and my first too. His people told me not to talk about his dad, so I didn't. But he did! And he was lovely.

Least interesting person you have interviewed for radio?

Not something I'm willing to divulge!

What keeps you awake at nights?

Churning over different ways to get out of debt. Or, if my psychic friend has told me there's someone around me, I sit waiting for them to appear.

What would listeners be surprised to learn about you?

In my time I have been involved in Simulated Nuclear Attack training with the British Army, (the mask is very unflattering). I have also been out with an Army bomb disposal team and have been dressed up in heavy padding to act as an Army attack dog's lunch.

Oh, and Dick Emery was a relative. But maybe that wouldn't be a surprise.

The first record you ever bought?

I hear you knocking by Dave Edmunds. Round about 1970? It cost under 50p anyway.

Can you play any musical instruments?

Yes. The tuba. It got me out of PE at school.

.