Read this: Leona Graham

The radiated a program with broadcast bionics discover the world leading brands at bionic radio Harlow and Stuart Clarkson this week on the radio Today programme we got the queen of Golden Square Guildford lovely old jingle Bells played on Absolute Radio this week as well.

Yes, Leona Graham is on the podcast this week to tell us about her memories of Virgin Radio twenty years ago and also find out how she's getting on doing her 52 hours a week on from home at the moment and David Lloyd radio moments of Birthday for the BBC World Service Johnnie Walker comes a short with the BBC and radio one goes 24/7.

This podcast was composed by MiKasa his back for week 27 of lockdown, however many were up to now 682 already.

I've no idea.

What day is I'm losing track of what month it is as well, but they lost the will to live I didn't take this been quite a bit of nice radio news this this week to keep us busy on Radio today dot co.uk it really is one of the few Industries with business as usual.

I think isn't it every every day more radio news more stuff going on and more people doing fantastic stuff in reaction to lock down and coronavirus.

Yeah, one of those is going to be absolute radio XL it had to happen at some point it just missing 30s and 50s.

I think that this was done if you if you saw this on the website.

40s is not music from the permanent station.

It's going to be basically music from the 40s for VE Day which is on Friday the 8th of May this year which is a bank holiday, which means absolutely nothing at the moment because every days are bank holiday, but this is really good tell us all about it.

Yes, it's the 75th anniversary of VE Day for the end of the war in 1945 and they're going to be playing music from the 1940s and the interesting thing about this is a pop-up London and it's online but they also sticking it out on medium wave on 12:15 all over the country.

This is going to be fantastic.

I'm gonna go to reception and just have it playing out the way it should be in 1945 Britain with it wishing and wishing in the background and Vera Lynn

Before that it was Vera Lynn from Paul Sylvester which explains all about it and it's not what you think.

It's fascinating is on the radio this week as well fabulous and yeah the main absolute radio station is going to be reflecting what was going on in 1945 on VE Day in real-time during its news bulletins throughout the day 75th anniversary a lot of those are not happening, but hopefully most of not having certainly not in person.

There is one of my time.

I think I'm going to have a can of virtual thing and do it online so lots of places doing that and getting involved in the cell so great to have a radio station on earth for 24-hours as well celebrating the 1940s and some of the great music from then and of course the stuff that was happening on VE Day back in the

Yeah, well done Paul and Sam and everybody involved in that looking forward to it.

That's what radios about it.

Just think of an idea and now it is it's on the radio with in within weeks fantastic couple of other things going on at coronavirus related as well.

We mentioned on the podcast few weeks ago about community stations being able to take their BBC local radio bulletins well commercial stations can now do the soul BBC local radio stations around England and Radio Wales running company and the services in Northern Ireland and Scotland if you're a community or commercial radio station in any area where the BBC has a local or Nations service you can put out the news bulletins again great working together going on during this crisis and may be helpful as much detail but something that continue post depression or whatever will call in this particular.

Yeah, it's good and it obviously if you can do your own bulletins.

Commercial radio station then obviously continue to do so because that's what it's all about but if you if you got no staff there are working from home or they followed or whatever then just Records or get sent the BBC which is great well done to the BBC for that one.

I think she might have seen this week as well.

Already ones stay at home Live Lounge I could take you enjoy the got loads of massive artists covering Times Like These by Foo Fighters and today has a new podcast series what isolation station right with this one and we doing it together so we better than just talking to Radio presenters in their natural habitat which is now the living room or under the stars for the microphone and Tony Gibbons going to be talking to them first couple of the house so check it out in the usual places at look for radiotoday isolation station.

So episodes on there already with Dave Berry Sarah champion Stephanie Hirst Jenni Falconer and Alex Duffy as well and you understand the last couple of days the main thing I supposed to be really want to talk about this for couple of minutes.

Just here is x radio was a bit of a leak over the weekend and then Monday morning some official news from these UK at the lineup is going to feature and Stig Abell on breakfast we have seen you about John Pienaar a drive Monday to Thursday Cathy Newman will do Friday Drive Luke Jones and Jenny kleeman.

Will be on weekend breakfast Friday Saturday Sunday and Matt Chorley will do mid mornings and there is more to be announced.

I think still of other presenters are going to be on the line up a lot of rumours on who goes the presenters are going to be as well, but we don't do rooms here on This podcast as we all feel well now, so I will just have to wait for that announcement which is probably due in the next week or so, I would say yeah.

So we have got a bidding to speak to Tim Lavelle is the program director for x radio we're going to do that in a few weeks time when they announce small blenders and when they tell us when they're going to launch this summer at the moment, so hopefully in a few weeks time will have a clearer idea of when it's all happening and it will speak to Tim from x radio on This podcast next month.

Hopefully you might do vegans blog about times really hard quite interesting fascinating blog lots of detail in their about the strategy and the idea behind it and what they should be doing and some thoughts on costs and also to have a look at maths blog is very interesting and that is due on This podcast next week as well on our roundtable with Trevor so hopefully we'll Delve a bit more into some of his thoughts on the matter so that you are retweeted.

I gave Matt's blog and mention on Twitter and then you got a reply from none other than Matthew right here former News UK employees.

And he gave his reaction to x radio didn't think I'm guessing you're so bad that you had your name in it, but the highlight of that blogging can be summarised I think Disney visa from the little I saw at the phrases batshit mental and waste of money seemed the most pertinent yeah, but there's a lot of logic behind a lot of the decisions and thus they will put some questions to Tim in a few weeks time and we'll see what he has to say, but yeah, I would one of the thrust of matblogg, I think and it'll go to more detail on this.

You know they're all great presenters are all great hire the ones they know nothing at all against any of them, but I'm not sure they've got somebody who's going to massively draw in audience Alex Evans on Virgin or Chris Moyles on Radio x on those kind of strategies of launching a new radio station.

Do you want a big personality tell me the news because it's going to be that kind of

It's going to be very factual so do you want a Chris Evans doing that or do you just want somebody confident enough to read out the news voting is competent but ultimately they know it's there and I'm not sure without you know a big name on the line up.

It's enough of a draw to make somebody switch from their existing radio station to try out this new one and I don't know if you saw this since we spoke to you.

I'm sure you did with Christian O'Connell he's going nationalism.

He's got a new show each evening on a whole host of radio stations in which all over Australia so he's literally national Australia and love just read that pretty much to apologise for that.

Good to see Christian having so much success down under he's been all day breakfast.

Obviously gold 104.3 in Melbourne that will stay and then I'll be on in the evenings across Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Adelaide and Perth as well.

Well done Christian and that again will try and get him on the phone.

I did treat him and told him you need to come home because we haven't heard from him for a bit and he said he would do it and I've sent it today and he's not replied so if you're listening Christian right, so there's lots of events and she started to happen now virtually the student radio Association have some online sessions last week that they did in place of the usual conference which cancelled because of coronavirus all the winners from the New York festivals Radio Awards were announced online as well details at radio today.co.uk falling UK winners.

Everyone's a winner of the New York festivals Radio Awards are going to be live-streamed next week for the upcoming Talent to win their prices.

Yes, you can see details of where and when on Radio today dot co.uk and the actual event which I don't know if this will actually happen you and December radiodays Europe is schedule for the 13th to the 15th of December but the way things are go.

Will we be back to large gatherings by December I'm not so sure but let's keep our fingers crossed.

They are planning and booking office and everything for that so fingers crossed in December everything will be back to normal alright.

Lovely to talk to you right.

I'll speak to you in a couple weeks because it's round table next week with Trevor and guests, so we'll be back on the something of may 13th.

I think can I stick around and listen to you and Leona I believe you got some cool jingles to BlackRock and Leona is fantastic as well.

You're really enjoyed so stick around here.

She's coming up on the radiator the radiated a program with broadcast bionics creators of The Bionic studio listening watching reacting to and learning from every spoken word tweet and SMS to a mix unlock and understand your content to buy onyx studio transforms everything about radio except the way you make it.

Now we got another big name national presenter doing their hair from home on the radio Today programme this week with someone is also celebrating a big anniversary as well anniversary and Absolute Radio I Began on the 28th of April in the year 2012 something but I will tell you that I've been here 20 years today.

I Began in the year 2000 and I would like your request please from the Year 2004 haven't heard it for ages welcome to podcast so 20 years to the day this week since your first show at Virgin and safe.

Few weeks I guess you still working in the same building doing daily shows that one Golden Square absolute and it's various spin-offs.

Yes 20 years seems like such a time and when the anniversary was upcoming.

I didn't want to mention it because I don't know just seems like such a long time when you put a number on it, but it's flown by you know haven't felt like 20 years ago my life changed.

I've been doing the same sort of job that whole time going to the same building as you say until lockdown.

I'm going to the same place for 20-years and we'll get on so kind of the last couple of decades in a few minutes, but is the longest it's now been since you've been in that building in 20-years as well that sounds even longer.

Yes it must because the most holidays I've ever had the maximum two weeks.

So yeah, why and how I think how are you doing at home? I seem for the pictures you put on social media.

You've got quite a house full of people and animals.

Yes, I do have one partner.

Two sons two dogs one cat and it's pretty chaotic, but we have got into and what one's listening describes an isolation groove so we got into a bit of a routine now.

We're going into it well and will taking on quite nicely and I get into my studio.

They get in if I travel have walked downstairs into the studio at about 8:30 each morning and the boys the boys they do they Joe Wicks workout at 9 each morning and then they do their schoolwork my partner teaches them and then the older girls who are 17 and 20.

They charge you that don't tell them come downstairs at this time and they can work in their rooms but recently been choosing to work downstairs.

So everyone's together in one big room is all about being nice and quiet for you.

Obviously when you are recording a duel links so whatever yeah, I mean the biggest problem for that is my youngest son text A6 generally quite allowed child the dogs are very very Barker for delivery Guy

That's it, they just go absolutely crazy and those the two main issues, but it's ok.

I'm in part from this is something could happen in this interview because we've got a long good of speech but on the radio of a minute maximum amount they say not too bad.

This will know that my dog barks most weeks in this anyway, so don't worry about it.

It's fine studio.

It's almost like you knew this was going to happen because I think only a few weeks before lockdown you got the time studio already, so basically moved into this house last year and in a full renovation was always in the plans to build a studio because in previously is I just build a sort of temporary thing under the stairs wasn't temporary was a bit like this, but small and compact to crawl because for many years initially voice overs of the voice of what was the Virgin Radio before Did All The Voice overs as well as presenting so I've been almost daily.

As a digital stations grew as recording more from home, so I've always had some sort of studio at home, but when we do the renovation I said I don't want under the stairs that was an actual allocated space with walls and ceiling covered in all the soundproofing Gear that actually looks nice as well as sounds better as you see them all the photographs I do for different angles and I've got colour changing light bulbs to make it more interesting but no seriously though couple years ago.

We had several instances of terrorism as well and that is when the topic of action presenting my main Absolute Radio Show came up as a possibility of doing it from home because there were several bad things happen and short space of time and as a stationary starting to think what would we do if we couldn't get in so that was another reason I wanted to have a full facility at home as well because we kind of knew was coming.

We never knew to be a virus, but we thought something might happen in the future and nothing absolutely quite quick to get everybody.

Get home and because you were all set up on Saturday to go and things already just build a do it straight away.

I wasn't the only one that was set up because most of us have got set letter to go and a home microphone and we're having a lot of our digital shows at home already anyway, so it doesn't extension of that and in terms of physically not being in the office.

What are you missing the most? How are you getting on in terms of keeping in touch with colleagues and produce a missing everybody I like same day Barry every morning as such and such a nice guy to meet first thing in the morning and he was welcomed into the studio.

He opens the door for me and your workstation awaits understands to one side honestly and then I walk in and it's just a lovely welcoming and have a bit of banter with that Dyson the guys and I really enjoyed that in the mornings and then I'm missing barrel after was likewise you know but we are still in communication.

We've got to go to WhatsApp group as DJ so we had a bit of a laugh on that and but most of our banter is out in public on.

I mean everything social media had so much fun with my fellow DJs just taking the mickey out of them with the Richie I'm constantly taking the mickey out of because they're so easy to take the mick out because they're just a plug is really but very entertaining so it's been it's been entertaining that was a bit of a laugh and a lot of what absolute does anyways.

It's kind of tried to do stand out events and features and things and you'll still manage to do that as a station with things like the front room festival and some of things are mental health.

So it's good that things like that can carry on and you can all be part of it from wherever you are in this first started to happen in week 1 as she was minus week one because we have officially gone into lockdown, but we had a trial run for me at home and we were unsure how to approach it on it.

We don't know what the mood would be and we realise that we could be humorous about the situation, but we also had to be mine forever serious issues and the mental health.

Somebody some special shows in that regard time to listen even yesterday and then of course the front room festival which was the world's first ever in home acoustic radio festive the whole thing was put together in less than two weeks because we know that our listeners love live music and missing it so we really put that together quickly and hopefully made a great show I think by the responses that was a big success and in terms of some of the stuff you're talking about on a notice you're talking a lot more about your own home situation and things that are going on in your life during the last decade as well which is nice.

I thought that we will be in the same situation.

I mean it's just so bizarre really but the whole world is going through a very similar thing and it was down to I guess three categories through the working from home your furloughed at home.

We're who won you're not at work.

You're at home.

So the chances.

Are you know people listening are at home which is easy to relate to so much so I feel like I can talk about my life because it's going to relate to.

Regarding the weekend that we had a barbecue that we going for a daily walk and doing a bit of DIY or what it's like to go shopping as well having a same experience you know him to pick you up at that kind of thing so it's almost easy as a broadcaster because everything I'm saying can relate to people right now because we're all going through a very similar experience or take us back 20 years then so is this week since that first show that you did on on Virgin Radio which he was a Friday night.

How did you get to Virgin in the first person to get higher ok? So what happened? I was on Corps which was a digital radio station and yes, I just come off surf which was a Brighton station and I took the opportunity to get involved in digital.

It's all very new and exciting and I went to a digital radio launch party and at that party.

I bumped into Nick Goodman who had known from power FM

Who's the person controller Virgin Radio at the time and then Henry said I'd like to get you and have a chat.

So that's why I went in an interview with Henry owings and then they had me that was it and what do you remember about that first Friday night? We did on our on 12:15.

I've got the playlist in front of me and my crack was all Saints Pure Shores then it was Oasis Half the World Away third track Robbie Williams Let Me Entertain You and then I did my first link and I've got my own notes gone to the playlist and it says this is LG Friday night maybe on the way, so those are my little notes.

I just dropped it down and I remember that first link as you would be because I've gone from local radio to a digital station to this big national brand.

And I remember doing an enclosing my friend thinking that wasn't any different to do in a link anywhere else and I suddenly felt very normal about it, but actually no I can do this another time.

I think it was it home of 10 great songs in a row, so there wasn't actually a lot for you to do it was speed links it was shut up and get on with the next record reminder of that and yes, it was very different then once you know what I've been doing at the weekend.

They didn't want anything about me didn't start a sentence with unless you're on the Breakfast Show what's the drive time show the rest of us were music DJs we were there to just play the music and not so very much and introduce the songs in trying to encourage someone to listen that little bit longer by telling someone something good about the next song in terms of where you went from there.

Obviously you've got on and various other shows on the network and then you apart of classic rock when that first that is Virgin classic rock initially which is what 17 years ago something like that you tell me.

Yeah, yeah, so I think we've had Virgin groove before that may have to correct me on that I'm not sure but we had a station just playing off a computer in the background which was doing well, and I think we have Virgin classic as well, which was just playing off the computer and doing really well just on the internet and let's have Virgin classic rock and put it on digital radio and I definitely wanted to be involved in this because that related to my knowledge of rock music was my first love and the age of about 15.

I definitely want to do this station and that's when the whole voice tracking began and in terms of the other stuff.

You've done over the last 20-years.

Obviously, it's not just been this is a lot more important things are interviews a gigs.

What what you're kind of big memories made highlights.

Obviously, my first show which was already talked about but I didn't say was Virgin was very much party party at the time and the night before my first show to celebrate my arrival the whole station to the pub which was normal then yeah, but it was a certain load of Managers at that time that also quite keen to go to the pub celebrate this new DJs we did that and I got very very drunk and I even though my first show is on in the evening.

I'm really rough.

So that's what I remember about that first show but yeah over the years and legends like I met / a few years ago and actually got him to sign my arm because I've got a tattoo of his green guitar which are then a tattooed is his name and Brian Johnson from ac dc Brian May a few times which really excited because he's my mate at the point now by Mary goes.

Hi Leona remember that mean something.

I meant Stevie Nicks my first V Festival broadcast which was in the year 2000 the started with very very memorable.

I love doing that and then as the time I moved on the Saturday nights at the absolute classic rock party and that's when I my daughter.

Just can't wait for me and my step daughters there were 4 and 7 at the time and they came with every Saturday night long with a giant dog we had then he was a bull massive and they basically grew up in that radio station every single Saturday night and there was no other radio station that it was just me the kids are running around having fun and I hope that sort of party spirit came through on the show.

I don't know other highlights Giggs going to see news for the first time which was I say life-altering when I saw them on the Drones at all and more emotional moments for example when?

My mum passed away.

I was actually walking to the studio from Waterloo station and just giving the news on the phone by my sister and I still went in and in my show.

I think I was in shock but during that shall I played Queen The Show Must Go On because my mum was a dancer she was a tiller girl London Palladium stuff like that.

It was very so busy.

She loves a bit of show business and I play that song for her and that was a very emotional moment.

I think one of the first times really put some of myself on the air in reconnected with the audience and the response I had from that was incredible but as you know no more fat or muscle connection with the audience now which I like doing another suppose.

That's change really since you moved to daytime in terms of getting more of you on the air and Paul's been getting a bit more cool has been exactly that he has made me come out of my sugar so used to being a don't talk about yourself DJ just took that music.

I find it very hard to talk about.

How many said look just start off so just do one personality linked Peugeot and I was terrified when I first started doing them because you get a message from someone that someone moaning about something and then that would revert me back into my shell and I wouldn't say anything again, but I've got more confidence and hope that when I do talk about myself.

It is a relatable way.

I hope you don't think I'll just go on about myself.

I want to talk about it in a way that makes me think well.

I do that or you know this happens in my household or that's slightly interesting not trying to be the world's funniest person.

I'm just trying to be slightly interesting to go between the songs if you know what I mean and definitely I do like to be a little bit if you know what I mean in terms of the station positioning you kind of that suits you down to the ground because all about real music and that's you know it that comes across in your

Passions that you have yes that sounds of it is very easy for me because I was into real music from the beginning apart from all that does relate to Absolute 80s so again, but it is totally fine, but I was always into my rock music so that makes me connect with the audience because they believe it when I say I like today.

I played all of the road.

I love this song they know I'm not lying and I can always post a picture of me in the 80s with all my rock clothes on and people can see that there's a history there, so I think that's where I found my connection with the audience.

I think the connection to the real music and real music for me is bands that play their own instruments.

I don't like manufactured Pop I don't like where you got five singers and no one's playing any instruments.

I like real bands and real music and that comes across.

I hope in my shows absolutely no it really doesn't mention the voiceovers that.

Used to do for your voice at Virgin and absolute when he first started as well as well as being a presenter and the geeks listen to this will know you were the station voice of capital and 5 live on Radio 1.

We are ready for some of the places as well.

How did you find it when you were the station voice and also presenting on the station was that I felt completely normal really I know but when you look back.

You think that that's not right.

That is not normal but at the time it just seemed normal it got a bit much when I was doing like the album chart and I'd say this is Oasis and then my own voice number 10.

I said can you get me a male bunch of numbers because this isn't going to work and sweepers yeah.

Yeah, I know but yeah, I think it was when we came absolute.

I think I did the voice-over for a year or two and then somebody said you know what I think we should probably change the voice and it did make sense, but I mean I enjoyed it.

I enjoyed doing it.

I mean I can't get enough of radio.

Love it so the more the better.

That's one remember that you are the Radio 1 station voice for a couple of years in the late night as well.

Cos that was before you at Virgin anything exactly so I did when I move the Virgin I gave up on my the station so I was on gwr Radio 1 go.

I was on every single station and every single TV channel at one point.

I mean you couldn't sit down and watch television without hearing my voice, but it did backfire because what happened then was everybody went well.

We don't really want to use that person has been everything but also in terms of radio.

I had to give it up that was part of the deal you come to us you do a voice is it in terms of TV I think I might speak to you soon all done too much at one time so but you still doing voice overs all around the world and stuff as well.

I think and commercial bits for magic and Planet Rock and all over the place abroad because TV voice overs here is that some voice-over agents have said well you two associated.

With absolute brand to be anonymous and advertising you know this shampoo on some of the radio station, so I've lost them in that respect.

I do some abroad instead.

So it is it's fine and I know your ambition was always to get onto national radio.

You've mentioned that certain power and I think you're ready golden.

Obviously some stream radio as well.

So you your ambition was to get to radio emission then was to stay and that's a radio knew what I wanted to do which made it very easy so I went to university does a student station.

It was like a lightbulb moment when I saw the student radio station because I originally I was going to be an actress so I walked into the student may be doing it outside broadcast w 963 radio and it was just seeing this is it this is what I want to do because it's also really enjoy music and always making people mixtapes that you listen to this you must listen to.

Really forcing my music 101 throat and this is perfect I can do a bit of that side of show business that I want to do and go on about music so I started with a Thursday night Rock Show the manor Leicester University I was had a single-minded vision to do that and I think we've choice you were part of the cannon launch team that went in Birmingham yes, there's a choice I was on paron a pirate station in Nottingham I've moved to Nottingham after University of Warwick and I listen to this radio station for all the good contacting them said I'd like to send you a demo tape now.

I was very naive I didn't know that was pirate didn't know how illegal it was and hence didn't talk about it for years afterwards and this is one of the first time ever mentioned it, but yes so they accept this is weird.

I've got demoted from someone have very professional as they immediately gave me a show and I did weekend breakfast again.

Not realising the risk of taking cos I think I was told a couple years later.

I could.

Ruined everything but I didn't ever get caught and it was a very kind of professional pirate radio station.

There was a schedule and there was a place as well.

There was a category box and a b category so our one you play songs from box and our two songs from box b.

And I taught myself all about the genre of music which was R&B hip hop reggae.

I bought the voice newspaper and learnt everything I could until I became an expert and then when I'm coming on.

I helped write the application with my bottom and one of the guy and we wrote the application submitted it and then when choice began in Birmingham initially started doing the advert scheduling and I'm using a system called broadnet.

I don't know if that's still active now and I ended up while I was on the first day.

I wasn't supposed to be but first end up getting thrown on.

And then I moved on to overnights from there then all the other stations that you mentioned but always looking for the next thing always sending out types.

It was easier and away then because you sent out of physical tape.

I think that's been sending an email that he was going to ignore that you think no definitely definitely it's much harder to put a tape in a bin.

Isn't it? But I was literally invite on it really in and into a covering letter and I've kept a lot of those covering us a massive folder of all the letters are sent out to remind me of how hard I work to get started and I've got one job.

I think about the next one and I didn't stop until I go onto national radio and then my next goal was to stay there and it's still going touch wood touch up, how many hours you actually do it on an absolute radio network is it 52 hours you're doing a week at the moment never had it up but yeah do a shower.

Everyday Absolute 80s absolute classic rock and you know I love it.

I love all the different stations and all different shows I do and especially now at home because I'm not giving you things I've saved 2 hours a day already so I can do my digital shows almost as light as well like on Saturday on Absolute 80s.

It's a beautiful hot sunny afternoon and I just knew that everybody would be tuned in having barbecues having in the garden so I was able to come into the studio and then shout out that come in that afternoon to give give it that life feeling and I do that and absolute classic rock every night as well, because I can it's just so easy to make so we'll let you get back to it, but thank you for talking to him.

What his to the next 20 years to you in the 24th.

Yeah, oh my goodness.

Thank you so much for the chat anyway.

Just before David Lloyd and his radio moments a reminder to have a look at cleanfeed if you are looking for a solution to get on the air or get gas on to your podcast for your show at remotely without them going to your studio at cleanfeed dotnet is the place to look it's been designed for radio people in four podcast as it's really simple to use and connecting decent quality audio.

Just using your browser.

You can even record broadcast within the browser as well.

There's a completely free version so it won't cost you anything to get started and loan.

Take 30 seconds to get signed up and doing your first live interview or recording find out more about it at clean.

This week 15 years ago.

It's an emotional time of capital if you just like to talk a bit like I do you have to mention something and talk about it on the radio so in the most amazing thing was getting married the next amazing thing was a little girl Scarlett was born and then with Jack was born crack it we were actually complete in the Fox family trying to work out the perfect record to play with my children are born and it's one of those records that makes me sad, but happy time Creed With Arms Wide Open Water song The End of Days on Capital this week 15 years ago the BBC World Service is now so deliver worldwide audiences of almost 280 million people.

The world service name used 55 years ago this week it had been the general overseas service before 1932.

It was called the Empire Service with that famous opening announcement from John Witcher transmitted comparatively simple programs the programmers will never be very interesting nor very good happy 50th Anniversary to the name BBC world couple weeks ago we lost running O'Reilly the UK is pirate radio pioneer having launched Radio Caroline in 1964 in 1968 this week after radio Kerry had sunk it's Johnnie Walker made his debut at last on the BBC

A written for a long time you kind of wobbling again at the Beginning so will be wanting a bit of a fantastic afternoon on the shelf from Jackson and the greatest band in the land from the vehicles from the first words on the BBC this week in 1968 national commercial radio now attracts 22 million listeners the bag in the analogue days 1993.

We were just about this week to get our second national station.

Hello to everyone here in Manchester and across the UK it's 12:15 on Friday April 30th 1993 a date which will go down.

We hope in broadcasting history, I'm Richard Branson and this is the radio station.

I've always wanted to hear I hope you're fine at the station you to have always wanted to hear Virgin 1215 is now officially on the launch of Virgin 1215 this week 27 years ago.

He was Britain's second national commercial radio station licence of course became Absolute Radio broadcast 24-hours a day, but it didn't do that until 29 years ago this week this Wednesday 1.fm.

Is your 24-hour station from midnight to morning will be the best music and the latest news.

Wednesday I'll be on Midnight to 4 Monday to Thursday tennis Andy people's on Friday night at the weekend 1.fm us through the night in 24-hour Radio 1 97-99 Bob Harris sitting in the excitement radio One's 24-hour magic this week in 1991 during wartime the transmitters of Radio Luxembourg was seized and used as a relay for propaganda delivered by a chap the pressure called Lord Haw-Haw because of his voice is Last Broadcast with heard this week 75 years ago in Germany

The spirits are you here and spirit of strength hair attractive millions of listeners in the UK most of them not believing really what he said he was later hanged for treason so with the first waggoners walk soap on radio 251 years ago of course not many of the inhabitants of London has died, but most have come from all corners of the country to live in work here like the girl who's just stepped out of a taxi in this the first episode called moving pictures the final Noel Edmonds Breakfast Show 42 years ago that was for me to get a little and Nelson pigford, and you take my heart away time 9 minutes before 9 the Golden it was Simon Wilby way back to 1958 but I have one final duty to perform here if I can just get the door open.

Nice empty BBC Radio Derby beginning officially 49 years ago but welcomes you to the BBC Studios opening at Savoy Hill in London 97 years ago last year wireless apparatus together by invitation of the Post Office and realise that broadcasting would have to be controlled by one broadcasting authority if the case which today is so obvious in America where can be avoided here and some we have caused these days as well the radio tech con conferences held they just released this year's dates November 30th this week's radio moments.

Thank you David and Roy Martin at my main guests this week, Leona Graham next week Trevor Dann Returns with the radio today round table for May

Doing it virtually again of course as the lockdown continues.