Radio Legends – Where Are They Now?
As Steve Wright this year announced his legendary afternoon show was to end after running off and on for over 40 years in an ongoing series we look back at some of Radio’s other biggest stars.
Radio often gets forgotten against TV but there have been as many Radio legends as TV. From presenters to comics we ask where are they now?
Tony Hancock
Between 1954 and 1959 Tony Hancock ruled the airwaves with his Hancock’s Half Hour Radio show, similar success followed with a TV series of the same name.
After his final BBC series in 1961 Hancock was unable to attain the same level of success and committed suicide whilst filming a new TV series in Australia in 1968
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Kenneth Horne
Kenneth Horne starred in and co-wrote RAF comedy Much-Binding-About-the Marsh which ran between 1944 and 1954, but it was the two shows that followed that made him a household name. Beyond Our Ken ran for 7 series between 1958 and 1964, following on from this success the cast recorded four series of the hugely popular Round The Horne.
It was just before the recording of a fifth series of Round The Horne that Kenneth Horne Horne died of a heart attack while hosting the annual Guild of Television Producers and Directors Awards; Round the Horne could not continue without him and was withdrawn.
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Kenny Everett
A popular pirate DJ Kenny Everett joined the BBC in 1967 and soon found himself on new pop music station Radio1 here he developed his unique style with shows featuring zany voices, surreal characters all created by Everett himself. A controversial figure throughout his radio and TV career never the less a trend setter.
Everett worked across Radio and TV right up until his death from AIDS in 1991.
Pete Murray
Perhaps best remembered for his daily “Open House” radio shows on BBC Radio 2. He Started his broadcasting career around 1950 on 208 Long Wave Radio Luxembourg. He was among the first presenters of Radio 1 in 1967. Murray was also an actor and TV presenter including Top Of The Pops, Come Dancing and a range of music themed shows. He was also an actor and starred alongside Dora Bryan in the 1960’s ITV sitcom Happily Ever After. After leaving BBC Radio 2 in 1983 Murray worked on various radio channels and shows. Whilst he is now retired he is still with us, aged 97.
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David Hamilton
Beginning his Radio career in 1959 on the British Forces Network he joined Radio 1 in it’s inaugural year in 1967 presenting Family Choice. He moved to presenting an afternoon show broadcast simultaneous with Radio 2 until he quit in 1986. A good friend of the late great Ken Dodd who gave him his nickname “Diddy” he appeared regularly on TV in the 1970’s and 80’s including as a regular presenter of Seaside Special. Now aged 84 ‘Diddy’ David Hamilton is still with us presenting a lunchtime show on Boom Radio.
Next Time
We take a look at a well known game show presenter who was one of of our top comics, but many forget about his Radio career and remember the master of Breakfast Radio. Coming Soon.