Graduating from a school radio station – to emerge as a familiar face on ITV in the Channel Islands via a successful spell in commercial radio programming, this is story of Gary Burgess. In this hour of Radio Moments Conversations, Gary tells of his childhood in South Africa and his early enthusiasm for radio, leading eventually to early work at Blackpool’s Radio Wave on moving with his family back to the UK. Having risen through the ranks to the post of programme Controller, Gary seized...

The shy schoolboy whose commanding voice went on to dominate London’s news bulletins for a generation. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, Howard Hughes tells of his life – from his childhood love of TV continuity to success in a local radio contest landing him his first fifteen minutes of fame – and ultimately the start of a career - on Radio City.  He opens up about his various spells at BBC local radio – and shares stories so typical of the age from a new Radio Wyvern in...

From helping out on a charity appeal to dominating late night music radio for generations. In this hour of Radio Moments – Conversations, Graham Torrington tells how his early love for radio led to his arrival at BRMB to help with the annual Walkathon. Graduating quickly from occasional shows to daytime contemporary radio, he quickly made his mark before the potential of a late-night love songs programme was unleashed. Pushed aside from the station he loved, he moved to the challenged Buzz...

The teenage tape reclaimer - whose DNA now remains across UK radio and whose influence is felt around the World. Clive Dickens opens up rarely – and looks back even more rarely. In this hour of Radio Moments Conversations he shares the journey from his roots at a new Chiltern Radio and how he speedily scaled the heights to group programme director. As the industry began to consolidate, he tells of his move to the Capital Group, working with Richard Park – and the challenges and...

The rookie press journalist who rose to head Channel 4 News and Current Affairs -via a love of radio. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, Louisa Compton tells of her life – with an early interest in breaking news leading her into a local press title before dropping into her local station, BBC Three Counties Radio. Colleagues in London quickly spotted her abilities and she edged into a career in Network, rising up the ranks at 5 Live, before moving to head Newsbeat at Radio...

The boarding school boy who helped out during the holidays at a commercial station and rose to head the BBC’s racing commentary. In this hour of Radio Moments Conversations, Cornelius Lysaght tells of how he charmed his way through the door of Severn Sound in Gloucestershire to help out during the holidays - working his way quickly to handling some of the UK’s top stories of the time from the newsroom. In the snowiest of winters, he fondly remembers helping out on the famous Snow Lines and...

This is a secret episode! Over the course of this series, several folk have asked whether I’d (David Lloyd) ever be interviewed.  Several luminaries kindly volunteered to interview me. Given the calibre of all the other subjects, I felt reticent. But – with lockdown and also passing 100  episodes - I thought I might succumb. I invited my oldest friend, Mark Runacus MBE to pose the questions. He and I met at hospital radio and he went on to accomplish a huge amount in the ad world. Radio...

The Glasgow car-washer who became BBC Radio 2’s longest serving mid-morning presenter – and a national treasure. In this hour of 'Radio Moments – Conversations', Ken Bruce tells of his Glasgow childhood and his foray into accountancy before alighting on the career which was to dominate his life. After hospital radio, he joined the BBC in Scotland where he appeared on the first day of its dedicated Radio Scotland in 1978. Having then dipped his toe in BBC UK network radio from Scotland, he...

The Liverpool schoolboy who rose to a major profile as a presenter – before devising the service which provided late-night network programming to UK commercial radio and launching a multi-platform production company.  In this hour of Radio Moments Conversations, Rob Jones tells of his life, with a career beginning as a presenter at the launch of Radio City before transferring to the mighty Radio Luxembourg. He opens up about the disappointment of not being called up for Radio 1; but how he...

From history student to running one of the early commercial radio networks. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations, Colin Mason tells of his move to the US where he indulged his love of radio whilst studying – and how he persuaded his way through the doors of local stations there.  Back home, after a short spell at the BBC, he moved to TV as a continuity announcer before returning to the Corporation at BBC Radio Durham and Radio Bristol.  As commercial radio began across the UK,...

From music student - to delivering an environment for commercial radio fit for a digital age – and a fascinating life beyond. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments Conversations’, Lisa Kerr tells of her life - moving from promising music student to eager helper at Radio Forth before graduating to Classic FM. She opens up about the successes and challenges of her first management role at Channel Travel Radio as it grew into the small-scale radio group Radio Services Ltd. Transferring to commercial...

From a chef and hairdresser - to becoming one of Liverpool’s leading on-air characters. In this hour of Radio Moments – Conversations, Pete Price tells of his early years on stage at a colourful time in Liverpool’s before making his debut on BBC Radio Merseyside. After more years as a comedian and singer, tempted back to Radio City, he was offered the late-night phone which he made his own.  Shunted from Radio City across Magic, City Gold and the first and subsequent incarnation of City Talk,...

He rose from being a BBC administration assistant to holding the Capital breakfast show for around ten years in commercial radio’s formative years. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, Graham Dene tell of his childhood love of radio and his efforts to creep into the business via a post as an administrator with the BBC. A transfer to the BBC library followed, from which he met the key individuals who would lead to his first on-air job at a factory radio station. He tells of life...

He was the disgraced schoolboy who was to become the first presenter on Capital Radio in 1973 – and on-air in the first week of Radio 1. In this hour of Radio Moments – Conversations, David Symonds talks about his life journey from the challenges of his youth through his early days on air in New Zealand. He tells of his early days announcing programmes for the Home Service and Light Programme – and preparing to go on-air on early evening across the first week of Radio 1’s life. He also opens...

From working as a car park attendant and being turned down by the BBC - to hosting some of the biggest slots on the UK’s largest stations. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, Simon Mayo speaks candidly about his life and career, from his early experiences at hospital and student radio, through his days at BBC Radio Brighton and Radio Nottingham.  Then - spotted by the BBC - he climbs quickly to Radio 1, where he graduates to the breakfast show and then on to the mid-morning show...

From a place behind a newsagents’ counter armed just with a single O’ level – emerging as a leading influence in getting the business of brand-based commercial radio into shape as Group Commercial Director at Chrysalis, then COO at Global Radio. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, Don Thomson tells of his days at the mighty Kelloggs, before alighting on a career in radio at a colourful Piccadilly in Manchester. He moved to LWT, before establishing a national radio airtime sales...

Having helped to establish one of the leading in-store stations in London’s Top Shop, he rose to lay the foundations of the mighty Smooth brand. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, Steve Collins tells of growing up and the keen pirate radio influences which led him to answer a press ad leading to an enlightening journey to Tel Aviv - and then offers fascinating insight into life on-board the Voice of Peace.  Back on land, he walked into Top Shop and established a radio station...

Her warm Canadian tones graced UK radio stations for over twenty years. In this hour of Radio Moments Conversations, Diana Luke tells of how she fell into radio whilst reviewing a book at Hallam, leading to a role as Viking’s first female broadcaster.  As her reputation grew across Yorkshire, Diana was summoned to be part of the new commercial radio late-night networked service ‘The Superstation’ where she worked alongside the greats like Johnnie Walker, Bob Harris – and was produced by a...

From football reporter - to becoming one of the leading figures in a generation of commercial radio, this is the story of Steve Orchard. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments Conversations’, Steve tells of his schooling and education; and a first career in social work, honing skills he was take with him throughout his life. An interest in hospital radio led to opportunities at Wiltshire Radio which flourished as the station evolved into the new GWR, where he hosted the breakfast show.  As GWR grew,...

He was the local press journalist who went on to be one of BBC radio sport’s most familiar voices – and whose style was to define BBC Radio 5 live at launch. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments Conversations’, John Inverdale tells of his early days in local press before a chance pub meeting led to an opportunity at the new BBC Radio Lincolnshire. An attachment to London saw him reporting and sports bulletin-reading on the Radio 4 Today programme and then across to BBC Radio 2 to host Sport on 2....

He rose from humble but determined roots in Wales to become one of the leading radio journalists of his generation. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, John Humphrys opens up about his life, resulting more in an encyclopaedia of World history rather than of media. He tells of his early days in press, where he not only wrote stories, he delivered the newspapers.  Spurning a job at the Times – he moved to television where he was to be the first reporter on the scene at the Aberfan...

Plucked with no experience to appear on a new Radio 210 in Reading, he was to become the fourth ever Radio 1 breakfast host. In this hour of Radio Moments – Conversations, Mike Read tells of the surprise jump from a musical career to one where radio played lead. He relates how his commercial radio spell began and shares memories of the eccentric early days in that new industry. Following an unexpected rise in profile with a TV’s ‘Pop Quest’, he recalls how he was then lured to join Radio...

His life in radio began, aged 16, in Canada – and his distinctive voice  was to be heard on the UK’s biggest UK stations.  In this hour of ‘Radio Moments Conversations’, David Jensen tells of growing up in Canada and making his radio debut, before moving, aged just 18, to a new life at Radio Luxembourg in the days when it commanded UK evening listening. Advised to get some UK experience, ‘Kid’ alighted at a brand-new Radio Trent in Nottingham in the challenging times so typical of those early...

It was his love of radio which governed his choice of university – before a career which saw him emerge as one of the key UK radio programmers of his generation – leading the way on research and the psychology of radio. In this hour of ‘RadioMoments Conversations’, Francis Currie shares his early hospital and student radio days and his graduation to a young Mercia Sound. He tells of his spell at LBC and onto his dream station ‘The SuperStation’, albeit past its glory days. On-air work...