I've been interested in broadcasting from an early age but I really got into radio when BBC Radio Devon started broadcasting in 1983 (it's the station's 20th birthday this year). I was listening to the station's test transmissions and decided there and then that I wanted to get into radio (I was 12 years old).
I wrote to the station who told me to write back in 6 months and try to get some experience in the meantime. I joined my local Hospital Radio station, Tarka Radio, at the North Devon District Hospital - I can recommend hospital radio to anyone who wants to get into broadcasting - I learnt loads and luckily for me had my own programme within weeks of joining.
I was introduced to Radio Devon's North Devon producer - Richard Howe - he allowed me to shadow him during my summer holiday from school and taught me how to use a UHER, to edit and generally how to work his studio.
Over time he also allowed me to travel to Radio Devon's main Exeter base, where I helped out and learnt how to use the equipment to drive the Saturday Sports Programme. When in 1986 one of the station assistants left, I was asked if I would do her job during the summer holiday.
That in turn led to my presenting an exam special programme, which turned into a weekly youth show called We Will Rock You. After my A Levels I joined the station full time - producing and presenting a range of different programmes.
I look back on my time at Radio Devon as really enjoyable. I learnt a lot about radio - the then breakfast show presenter Alan Dedicoat (now at BBC Radio 2 and the National Lottery 'Voice of the Balls') probably taught me most of my radio skills and I owe him a lot. The then manager Roy Corlett (now retired but back working at BBC Radio Merseyside) took risks with me but also taught me some lessons!. I also had the pleasure to teach the late Jill Dando how to work a radio desk when she first joined the station. And I have great memories of recording pieces with David Willis (now BBC correspondent for the West Coast of America) who has a wicked sense of humour.
This is one of my Radio Devon publicity photos. I must have been about 17/18 when this was taken, it also appeared in the Radio Times which led to my getting quite a lot of stick from my college friends at the time.
In 1989 I was called by Travis Baxter, the then manager of the new Long Wave radio station Atlantic 252. He offered me the job of Producer/Presenter at the station. I decided that it would be a good idea for me to experience commerical radio, so I took a 6 month contract and moved to Eire - a small village called Trim in County Meath - where the station was based.
I spent 9 months in all at Atlantic 252 where I presented some shows and helped to programme Selector - the music choosing program. During that time I met some people who became some of my best friends and still are (Sandy Beech and Kevin Palmer). The picture above was taken at my leaving bash at another Dublin radio station (Capital). Notice that I was given a Zig puppet - Zig and Zag were huge in Ireland at the time - many years before they appeared on the Big Breakfast with Chris Evans.
Although the people at Atlantic 252 were great to work with, I decided that commerical radio wasn't for me. So I returned to the UK and started to freelance for various BBC stations in the South East. I was lucky that BBC Radio Bedfordshire was going through changes, and the manager at the time - who was originally at BBC Radio Devon - knew me.
I presented an early morning programme that was heard on most of the BBC Local Radio stations in the South and East. I also did some extra shifts at BBC Radio Kent.
In 1992 it was decided the BBC Radio Bedfordshire would be changed to serve Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire too (which it did to a certain extent anyway). For a while we went under the name BBC Radio Bedfordshire with Herts and Bucks.
We were re-launched as BBC Three Counties Radio on April the 5th. I was heavily involved in a tour of villages and shopping centres in the run up to the re-launch. I then started presenting the evening news programme. I won 'Best News and Current Affairs Programme' in the Greene King IPA awards that year.
In September 1994 I applied for a 6 month attachment to BBC Radio 5 Live as a News Presenter. I got the job and that takes me on to my current employment.