John Arlott
1914 - 1991
John Arlott, was a BBC radio cricket commentator whose poetic phraseology has been described as "the voice of an English summer." After more than three decades of Test Match commentaries, his final broadcast of the 1980 Centenary Test, received a standing ovation from the crowd and the players.
Arlott's love of the English language extended into the printed word as a writer, co-author or editor of some eighty books
Arthur Askey
1900 - 1982
Askey was a Liverpudlian comedian who established himself through the BBC comedy series Band Waggon. Together with Richard Murdoch, he developed a quick-fire style that moved radio comedy on from the rituals of the variety theatre.
Arthur's memorable vocal delivery exploited to the full his best known catch-phrases, "Hello Playmates", "Before your very eyes" and "I thank you".
Simon Bates
17 december 1947
Bates joined the BBC in 1971 and has worked for Radio 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. His stay on Radio 1 is most often remembered for his mid-morning feature Our Tune, in which he preceded a listener-chosen record with a poignant story.
Since Leaving Radio 1, he has worked mainly in commercial radio and can currently be heard on Classic FM.
Tony Blackburn
Born 29 January 1943
Tony Blackburn entered broadcasting as a DJ on the offshore 'pirate' radio stations. On 30 September 1967, he was the first voice to be heard on the new radio station, BBC Radio 1. His breezy banter coupled with a readily identifiable choice of jokes quickly made him a listeners' favourite.
In recent years, Blackburn has worked for a variety of stations, often championing his love for soul music. He currently presents programmes on KCFM and 102.2 Smooth Radio.
Ken Bruce
Born 2 February 1951
Ken joined BBC Radio 2 in 1982 as a stand-in presenter, having gained his broadcasting experience with BBC Radio Scotland and BBC World Service. He took-over the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show in 1984 and, after moving between various forenoon shows, settled into his regular mid-morning slot.
His current music show includes a number of popular features including the PopMaster quiz and Tracks Of My Years.
Ken is also a regular presenter of Friday Night Is Music Night as well as compering the Radio 2 broadcast of The Eurovision Song Contest.
Nick Clarke
1948 - 2006
Clarke joined the BBC in 1973 as a reporter, subsequently working on The Nine O'Clock News, The Money Programme and Newsnight before moving to The World This Weekend in 1989.
BBC director general Mark Thompson said, “He was one of the BBC's finest broadcasters and a brilliant political interviewer, who was also a great listener. Nick's interviewing style was penetrating but unfailingly courteous."
Jimmy Clitheroe
24 December 1921 - 6 June 1973
Born in Clitheroe, Lancashire, the diminutive little performer spent much of his early life in Blacko, near Nelson.
Affectionately known as the Clitheroe Kid, he began acting in Sunday School concerts at the local Methodist chapel before starring in variety shows, films, radio and television, in a career that spanned five decades from the 1930s to the 1970s.
Originally best-known in the north of England, and a long-standing regular in the Blackpool end-of-the-pier variety shows, Jimmy gained wider popularity in the 1950s on radio and later in television.
He appeared on BBC national radio in the mid-1950s in The Mayor's Parlour with comedian Jimmy James and in Norman Evans's radio shows. From 1955-1958 Jimmy starred in his own radio variety show Call Boy which led to the hugely successful series The Clitheroe Kid, which ran for 15 years from 1957-1972.
Jimmy never grew taller than 4 feet 3 inches (1.3 metres), and throughout his career mainly played the character role of an 11-year-old schoolboy, complete with school cap and blazer.
As the Peter Pan of show business: Jimmy Clitheroe was the real-life boy who never grew up.
Catchphrases:
“Don't some mother's 'ave 'em”
“I'm all there with me cough drops”
Barry Alldis
Australian-born Barry Alldis was an experienced announcer and DJ when he moved to London in 1955.
His ambitions to broadcast to the UK were slow to materialise and it was not until December 1956 that he joined the British department of Radio Luxembourg.
As compere of The Top Twenty Show, Barry became one of the best known music presenters in Europe.
He is credited with introducing the 'Power Play' to Britain in 1957 when, together with Keith Fordyce and Don Moss, he would choose a new release to be featured on the station throughout the week. This resulted in the creation of a number of chart entries including the first European hit (Diana) for American artist Paul Anka, before the record was released in the US.
In 1966, Barry returned to England as a freelance compere, DJ and announcer for the BBC Light Programme (later for BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2) presenting shows such as Housewive's Choice, Swingalong, Late Night Extra and Album Time.
He returned to Radio Luxembourg in 1975 and remained with the station until his death.
A talented pianist and trumpet player, Barry composed over 100 tunes.
Barry's daughter Janet Alldis quoted her father as saying, "Radio is my life, and when I go, I want to go with my boots on."
Catchphrases:
"Your DJ BA"
"Whether at home or on the highway, thanks for tuning my way."
Peter Allen
Born 4 February 1946
A broadcast journalist and political correspondent, Peter Allen moved from television to radio to join BBC Five Live at its launch. Along with co-presenter Jane Garvey, he helped to bring a fresh approach to morning news programmes in a highly acclaimed teaming that lasted for 13 years.
His reports on the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, which he presented with James Naughtie, earned him a Sony Radio Academy Gold Award.
Peter currently presents BBC Radio 5 Live's Drive programme with Anita Anand.
Speaking about his work, he said, “Radio is 'it' for me because; radio - you pick up a microphone and you talk.”
Marjorie Anderson
1913-1999
Having read the news and presented the Forces Favourite request show during the Second World War, Anderson became an early presenter of Woman's Hour.
She maintained a sober, sincere and traditional approach without sounding patronising and endeared herself to listeners at a time when British broadcasting was primarily male dominated.
Eamonn Andrews
1922 - 1987
Eamonn first broadcast on Radio Eireann as a boxing commentator at the age of sixteen. Having won the 1944 Irish Middleweight Boxing Championship in 1950, he joined the BBC Light Programme as presenter of Sports Report.
Although he hosted a number of popular shows on television, his work as a reporter, especially of boxing and rugby, helped to define sports broadcasting for a generation.
Danny Baker
Born 22 June 1957
After dropping out of school at 15, Danny took a job in a small central London record shop before turning to journalism as co-founder of the punk fanzine Sniffin' Glue. From there he moved on to New Musical Express where developed his skills writing articles, reviews and conducting interviews.
Danny then established a position for himself on television; first making documentaries for the cult youth series 20th Century Box and then as a reporter on the 6 O'Clock Show. He has subsequently written and appeared in a variety of TV documentary, comedy and quiz shows.
His radio career began in 1989 as presenter of the Weekend Breakfast show on BBC GLR. The following year he joined BBC Radio 5, initially presenting a phone-in sports quiz broadcast. Over the years he has fronted a variety of shows for Radio 5 and 5 Live sharing his love of music, an extensive knowledge of off-beat trivia and views on football that have been described as fearless, outspoken and controversial. His current Saturday morning show for the station features a mix of sports entertainment featuring fans and special guests.
At various times, Baker has worked for BBC Radio 1, Talk Radio, Virgin Radio, BBC London and BBC Radio 2. His most recent spell with BBC London ran from 2001 to 2012, when he announced that he was leaving following the axing of his show in a programme schedule change.
“He has a formidable energy, combined with a unique way of looking at the world and an exquisite turn of phrase.” Sony Radio Academy Awards, judges' comment
"He's a joyous force of nature...He celebrates British eccentricity and the way we are." Peter Kay.
Peter Brough
1916 - 1999
After appearing in a number of BBC variety programmes, Peter Brough was given his own show Educating Archie, which ran through much of the 1950s. At its peak, the programme attracted 15 million listeners who appeared undeterred by being entertained on the radio by a ventriloquist and his dummy Archie.
The popularity of Educating Archie served as a useful launch-pad for rising stars, including comedians Tony Hancock, Max Bygraves, Harry Secombe, Benny Hill, Beryl Reid and singer Julie Andrews.
Douglas Cameron
Born 29 October 1933
Douglas Cameron presented BBC Radio 4's Today programme from 1971 until the birth of commercial radio, when he moved to LBC.
His ten year spell co-presenting the AM programme with Bob Holness, helped to establish LBC's reputation.
Cameron became known across the UK as the voice of Independent Radio News, while his authoritative and consummately professional microphone style entertained Londoners for over thirty years.
Alastair Cooke
1908 - 2004
Cook joined the BBC as a film critic in 1934 and, shortly afterwards took on the additional role of London correspondent for the American network NBC.
He became an American citizen during the Second World War while travelled in the USA for the BBC. When the war ended, he started work on a radio narrative called 'American Letter'. The programme, later re-named Letter From America ran for 58 years.
Cook was greatly respected on both sides of the Atlantic, being awarded an honorary knighthood by the Queen and addressing the US Congress on its 200th anniversary.
Billy Cotton
1899 - 1969
Billy Cotton formed his own orchestra between the wars, eventually building it into a band that mixed comedy and light entertainment with tunes that catered for music hall-type audiences. This popular format was transferred successfully to radio in 1949 as The Billy Cotton Band Show and continued until 1968.
Cotton's opening call “Wakey Wakey” followed by the theme tune 'Somebody Stole My Gal', became a regular accompaniment to Sunday lunch for many radio listeners during this era.
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