BBC Radio Shows
Location: United Kingdom
This page is intended as a resource to quickly find and link to personalities connected to BBC Radio. It will be gradually expanded and organised over time, possibly with stations and individual shows getting their own Freespace pages. Please feel free to edit, modify and add as you feel will improve the page.
The British Broadcasting Corporation began broadcasting in 1922. Until it began a regular television service in 1936, and even for many years beyond that, it's primary output was via radio.
By 1946 it was broadcasting three national stations (although reception coverage for each varied): the Home Service (talk radio, which became Radio 4), the Light Programme (easy listening, which became radio 2 with its comedy shows going to Radio 4) and the Third Programme (classical, which became radio 3). There were also a number of regional stations across the country.
In 1967 Radio 1 (current pop music) was introduced and the other stations were renamed. Radio 5 Live (dedicated news and sport) was launched in 1994, and in the 2000s the digital revolution enabled many more niche services to operate.
Many scripted comedy shows originating on BBC Radio have successfully transferred to television (BBC, of course). They generally retain the same writers and actors.
Contents |
Shows from the Light Programme
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Light_Programme
- The Archers
- Desert Island Discs - presented until 1985 by Roy Plomley (not connected)
- Woman's Hour
- Children's Hour
- Listen with Mother
- Housewives' Choice
- Friday Night is Music Night
- The Billy Cotton Band Show
- The Goon Show (Milligan, Sellars, Secombe, Bentine)
- Much Binding In The Marsh (Richard Murdoch/Kenneth Horne)
- Beyond Our Ken (Kenneth Horne/Kenneth Williams/Hugh Paddick)
- Round The Horne (Horne/Williams/Paddick, writers Barry Took/Marty Feldman)
- Educating Archie (Peter Brough and "Archie Andrews")
- It's That Man Again (Tommy Handley)
- Hancock's Half Hour (Tony Hancock)
- The Navy Lark (Leslie Phillips, Jon Pertwee, Stephen Murray)
- Ray's A Laugh (Ted Ray - not connected)
- Dick Barton - Special Agent (Noel Johnson/Duncan Carse/Alex McCrindle)
- Mrs Dale's Diary (Ellis Powell/Douglas Burbidge/Jessie Matthews)
Presenters included David Hamilton, David Jacobs. Tony Blackburn, Ray Moore, Annie Nightingale, Simon Dee, Alan Freeman and Terry Wogan.
List of former actors in the Archers (deceased, with Wikipedia page):
| Name | Character(s) | Years | Connected to the tree Connected or N/C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Arnold | Tom Forrest | 1951–1997 | N/C | |
| Ronald Baddiley | George Lawson-Hope/Harvey Grenville | 1951–1956/1961–1966 | N/C | |
| Ballard Berkeley | Colonel Frederick Danby | 1980–1987 | Connected | |
| Margot Boyd | Marjorie Antrobus | 1984–2004 | N/C | |
| Ysanne Churchman (wiki) | Grace Archer | 1951–1985 | N/C | |
| Heather Canning | Anne Grenville | 1961–1965 | N/C | |
| Sara Coward | Caroline Sterling | 1979–2016 | N/C | |
| John Dexter | Geoff Bryden | 1955–1956 | N/C | |
| John Franklyn-Robbins | Bill Slater/Dick Raymond/Mike Daly | 1951/1951/1952 | N/C | |
| Chris Gittins | Walter Gabriel | 1953–1988 | N/C | |
| Stephen Hancock | Laurence Lovell | 1996–2000 | N/C | |
| Mollie Harris | Martha Woodford | 1970–1995 | N/C | |
| Carolyn Jones | Ursula Titchener | 2014–2017 | N/C | |
| Edward Kelsey | Joe Grundy | 1985–2019 | N/C | |
| Rosemary Leach | Ellen Rogers | 1994, 1996, 1998 | Connected | |
| Harry Littlewood | Ronnie Beddoes | 1966–1970 | N/C | |
| Nan Marriott-Watson | Doris Archer | 1950 | N/C | |
| Robert Mawdesley | Walter Gabriel | 1950–1953 | N/C | |
| Jack May (wiki) | Nelson Gabriel | 1956-1977 (sporadic), 1979–1997 | N/C | |
| Betty McDowall | Laura Archer | 1978–1985 | N/C | |
| Frank Middlemass | Dan Archer | 1982–1986 | Unlisted | |
| Ted Moult | Bill Insley | 1983–1986 | N/C | |
| Norman Painting | Phil Archer | 1950–2009 | N/C | |
| Arnold Peters | Len Thomas/David Latimer/Jack Woolley | 1953-1967/1968–1973/1980–2011 | N/C | |
| Arnold Ridley | Doughy Hood/Bert Gibbs | 1956–1958, 1961–1970, 1973/1975–1977 | Connected | |
| Graham Roberts | George Barford | 1973–2004 | N/C | |
| Norman Shelley | Colonel Frederick Danby | 1976–1980 | N/C | |
| Colin Skipp | Tony Archer | 1967–2013 | N/C | |
| Mary Wimbush | Jane Maxwell/Lady Isabel Lander/Julia Pargetter | 1951/1969–1970/1992–2005 | N/C |
Radio 1 DJs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:BBC_Radio_1_presenters
Original Presenters (1967):
| Name | Previous station | Years | Connected to the tree Connected or N/C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barry Alldis (wiki) | BBC Light Programme | N/C | ||
| Tony Blackburn (Living) | Radio London/BBC Light | N/C | ||
| Pete Brady (Living) | Radio London | N/C | ||
| Dave Cash (wiki) | Radio London | N/C | ||
| Simon Dee (wiki) | Radio Caroline/BBC Light | N/C | ||
| Chris Denning (wiki) | Radio London | N/C | ||
| Pete Drummond (Living) | Radio London | N/C | ||
| Kenny Everett | Radio London/BBC | Connected | ||
| Alan Freeman (wiki) | BBC Light Programme | N/C | ||
| Keith Fordyce (wiki) | BBC Light Programme | N/C | ||
| Tony Hall (wiki) | BBC Light Programme | N/C | ||
| Stuart Henry (wiki) | Radio Scotland | N/C | ||
| Bob Holness | BBC Light Programme | N/C | ||
| Jack Jackson (wiki) | BBC Light Programme | N/C | ||
| Duncan Johnson (wiki) | Radio London | N/C | ||
| Mike Lennox (obit) | Radio London | N/C | ||
| Ray Moore (wiki) | BBC Light Programme | N/C | ||
| Denny Piercy (Living) | BBC Light Programme | N/C | ||
| Johnny Moran (paywall obit) | BBC Light Programme | N/C | ||
| Pete Murray (Living) | BBC Light Programme | N/C | ||
| Pete Myers (wiki) | BBC Light Programme | N/C | ||
| John Peel | Radio London | Connected | ||
| Mike Raven | Radio Luxembourg | N/C | ||
| David Rider (Living) | BBC Light Programme | N/C | ||
| Emperor Rosko (Living) | Radio Caroline | N/C | ||
| Keith Skues (Living) | Radio London | N/C | ||
| Ed Stewart (wiki) | Radio London | N/C | ||
| David Symonds (Living) | BBC Light Programme | N/C | ||
| Terry Wogan | BBC Light Programme | Connected | ||
| Jimmy Young | BBC Light Programme | Connected |
Subsequent Presenters (Deceased):
- Steve Wright (N/C)
- Annie Nightingale (N/C)
- Mike Smith (wiki)
- Janice Long (wiki)
- Kevin Greening (wiki)
- Roger Scott (wiki)
(Living):
- Mike Read
- Paul Gambaccini
- Dave Lee Travis
- Gary Davies
- David Hamilton
- David Jenson
- Johnnie Walker
- Noel Edmonds
- Zane Lowe
- Peter Powell
- Zoe Ball
- Chris Moyles
- Chris Evans
- Bruno Brookes
- Bob Harris
- Sara Cox
- Simon Bates
- Simon Mayo
- Jo Whiley
- Scott Mills
- Andy Peebles
- Jackie Brambles
- Fearne Cotton
- Greg Edwards
- Nick Grimshaw
- Mark Goodier
- Lisa I'anson
- Gregg James
- Andy Kershaw
- Liz Kershaw
- Steve Lamacq
- Annie Mac
- Colin Murray
- Trevor Nelson
- Mark Radcliffe
- Marc Riley
- Jimmy Savile
- Pat Sharp
- DJ Spoony
- Tommy Vance
- Pete Tong
- Tim Westwood
- Reggie Yates
Radio 2 presenters
There seems to be a common theme of exciting young presenters starting their careers on Radio 1 before moving to Radio 2 as they get older and more mellow.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:BBC_Radio_2_presenters
Presenters moving from Radio 1:
- Terry Wogan
- Steve Wright N/C
- Mark Goodier
- Mark Radcliffe
- Janice Long
- Jimmy Young
- Ed Stewart
- Alan Freeman
- Johnnie Walker
Other Presenters:
- Ken Bruce
- David Jacobs
- Ray Moore
- John Dunn (wiki)
- Jeremy Vine
- Vanessa Feltz
- Jonathan Ross
- Russell Brand
- Chris Evans
Radio 3 presenters
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:BBC_Radio_3_presenters
Radio 4 programmes
Many long-running shows began on The Light Programme or Home Service.
News/Current Affairs
- The Today Programme - presenters have included John Humphreys, Brian Redhead, Sue MacGregor, James Naughtie and Evan Davies.
- Start the Week
- Women's Hour
- From Our Own Correspondent -presented by Kate Adie
- Letter from America - presented by Alistair Cooke
Scripted Drama
- The Archers (see section The Light Programme)
Scripted Comedy
- Hancock's Half Hour - transferred to TV but continued on the radio too
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - written by Douglas Adams, made into a TV show with most of the same cast, and later a book
- The Men from the Ministry - starring Wilfrid Hyde-White, Deryck Guyler, Richard Murdoch
- Round the Horne (see section The Light Programme)
- I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again - featuring John Cleese, Graeme Garden, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Bill Oddie.
Panel Games
- Just A Minute - presented by Nicholas Parsons with regular panelists Kenneth Williams, Clement Freud, Peter Jones, Derek Nimmo, Paul Merton and others
- I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue - presented by Humphrey Lyttleton with Barry Cryer, Graeme Garden, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Willie Rushton and latterly Jeremy Hardy
- The News Quiz - presented by Barry Took
Other
- Desert Island Discs (see section The Light Programme)
- Gardener's Question Time - presented by Franklin Engelmann and Eric Robson among others, and featuring expert panellists Stefan Buczacki, Clay Jones, Bill Sowerbutts and Geoffrey Smith.
- The Shipping Forecast - thrice-daily weather information for ships
Radio 5 Live presenters
- John Inverdale
- Mark Chapman
- Colin Murray
- Jon Champion
- Mark Pougatch
- Nicky Campbell
- Rhod Sharp
- Adrian Chiles
- Helen Skelton
- Eamonn Holmes
- Stephen Nolan
- Victoria Derbyshire
- Jacqui Oatley
- Mark Kermode
- Vernon Kay
- Patrick Kielty
- Richard Bacon
- Conor McNamara (commentator)
- John Murray (commentator)
- Ian Dennis (commentator)
- Simon Brotherton
- Mike Ingham
- Mark Saggers
- Alan Green (commentator)
- Danny Baker
- Duncan McKenzie
- Eleanor Oldroyd
- Jonathan Overend
- Julian Worricker
BBC Local Radio
Divisions covering England and Wales:
- BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
- BBC Radio Norfolk
- BBC Radio Northampton
- BBC Radio Suffolk
- BBC Three Counties Radio
- BBC Radio Derby
- BBC Radio Leicester
- BBC Radio Nottingham
- BBC Radio London
- BBC Radio Cumbria
- BBC Radio Newcastle
- BBC Radio Tees
- BBC Radio Lancashire
- BBC Radio Manchester
- BBC Radio Merseyside
- BBC Radio Berkshire
- BBC Radio Oxford
- BBC Radio Solent
- BBC Radio Kent
- BBC Radio Surrey
- BBC Radio Sussex
- BBC Radio Cornwall
- BBC Radio Devon
- BBC Radio Guernsey
- BBC Radio Jersey
- BBC Radio Bristol
- BBC Radio Gloucestershire
- BBC Radio Somerset
- BBC Radio Wiltshire
- BBC Radio WM
- BBC CWR (Coventry & Warwickshire)
- BBC Hereford & Worcester
- BBC Radio Shropshire
- BBC Radio Stoke
- BBC Radio Leeds
- BBC Radio Sheffield
- BBC Radio York
- BBC Radio Humberside
- BBC Radio Lincolnshire
Former stations
- BBC Dorset FM
- BBC Radio Durham
- BBC Southern Counties Radio
- BBC Thames Valley FM
The rest of the United Kingdom:
- BBC Radio Scotland
- BBC Radio nan Gàidheal (Gaelic language)
- BBC Radio Shetland
- BBC Radio Orkney
- BBC Radio Wales
- BBC Radio Cymru (Welsh language)
- BBC Radio Cymru 2
- BBC Radio Ulster
- BBC Radio Foyle
There are also numerous independent stations (not connected to the BBC) broadcasting locally and nationally.
BBC World Service
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_World_Service
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