Clive Bull
Encyclopedia
Bull Clive is an award-winning radio talk show host, best known for presenting a late-night show on LBC 97.3
in London
, England
.
in south east London, between 1970-77 where he was a leading light of the tape based "College Radio". He has a degree in Educational Broadcasting from the University of London
and a distinction in Radio Journalism from The National Broadcasting School.
He joined LBC as a telephone operator. He worked as a producer for Steve Allen
's LBC show Nightline and later went on to review books for the same show. Later he presented a range of programmes including gardening phone-ins and the station's youth programme Young London. His big break was as host of the overnight Clive Bull Through the Night Show which ran for several years in the early 1990s. In 1994 he was hired by London News Talk 1152 (as LBC's AM service was briefly known) to host the weekend late-night slot. The following year he moved to weeknights where he remained for 16 years.
Discussions tended to focus around two or three topics each evening based loosely upon what is in the news, or what interested or affected Clive. However, Bull encouraged callers to talk about whatever they liked, on the basis that more interesting discussions come from things people genuinely care about. There were special-interest nights, including the successful science hour series with Brian J. Ford
. Between 1999 and 2007 Bull's show was produced by Bob Johnson, who produced his last show on Thursday 20 December 2007. Previous producer Dan Wright went on to work for Independent Television News.
The 1991 short television programme Night Caller followed the callers to Clive's through-the-night show. The programme is available on YouTube.
In June 2011 Clive said he would be taking a break from talk radio, stating that "After thirty wonderful years with LBC, I'm looking forward to being up all day and going to bed at a sensible hour". Clive Bull was succeeded on the Late Show by his friend and former LBC colleague Anthony Davis.
survey of the forty most powerful people on radio, the highest ranked phone-in host. He was described as "a brilliant phone-in host who knows that the way to make captivating talk radio is not to rant or rage, but to create a separate world, away from the nonsense of current affairs - then invite his listeners into it. His show is the most listened-to night-time programme in London and is an understated joy," while The Independent
called him "The Emperor of night-time talk radio."
The Experts' Expert from The Observer
wrote "There's no-one quite like him. You get the impression that he's living just a bit dangerously, and that's what makes phone-ins exciting".
He has won several awards including a Bronze Sony Radio Award
. The judges described him "An exception to the run-of-the-mill phone-in. It was all down to the presenter who appeared so laid back that his callers could not see how he was teasing them. A very dry sense of humour and great fun."
He won Best Talk Show Host at the New York Radio Awards in 2001.
LBC 97.3
LBC 97.3 is a London-based talk and phone-in radio station. It is one half of the latest incarnation of LBC, the news and speech service which was Britain's first commercial radio station when it went on air in October 1973...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Background
Bull was educated at Dulwich CollegeDulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
in south east London, between 1970-77 where he was a leading light of the tape based "College Radio". He has a degree in Educational Broadcasting from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
and a distinction in Radio Journalism from The National Broadcasting School.
He joined LBC as a telephone operator. He worked as a producer for Steve Allen
Steve Allen (LBC radio presenter)
Steven William Allen Steven William Allen Steven William Allen (born 17 March 1930, Steven William Allen (born 17 March 1930, Steven William Allen (born 17 March 1930, [[Brinsworth], [[Kent]], [[England]]) is an english [[television presenter|television]] and [[radio presenter]], who is currently...
's LBC show Nightline and later went on to review books for the same show. Later he presented a range of programmes including gardening phone-ins and the station's youth programme Young London. His big break was as host of the overnight Clive Bull Through the Night Show which ran for several years in the early 1990s. In 1994 he was hired by London News Talk 1152 (as LBC's AM service was briefly known) to host the weekend late-night slot. The following year he moved to weeknights where he remained for 16 years.
LBC 97.3 radio show
Bull's show aired live Sunday to Thursday from 10pm to 1am. With slight variations in show times, Bull has occupied the same late night slot since 1995 despite numerous changes of station brand and ownership during this time.Discussions tended to focus around two or three topics each evening based loosely upon what is in the news, or what interested or affected Clive. However, Bull encouraged callers to talk about whatever they liked, on the basis that more interesting discussions come from things people genuinely care about. There were special-interest nights, including the successful science hour series with Brian J. Ford
Brian J. Ford
Brian J. Ford is an independent research biologist, author, and lecturer, who publishes on scientific issues for the general public...
. Between 1999 and 2007 Bull's show was produced by Bob Johnson, who produced his last show on Thursday 20 December 2007. Previous producer Dan Wright went on to work for Independent Television News.
The 1991 short television programme Night Caller followed the callers to Clive's through-the-night show. The programme is available on YouTube.
In June 2011 Clive said he would be taking a break from talk radio, stating that "After thirty wonderful years with LBC, I'm looking forward to being up all day and going to bed at a sensible hour". Clive Bull was succeeded on the Late Show by his friend and former LBC colleague Anthony Davis.
Acclaim
In June 2005, Bull came 19th in the Radio TimesRadio Times
Radio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
survey of the forty most powerful people on radio, the highest ranked phone-in host. He was described as "a brilliant phone-in host who knows that the way to make captivating talk radio is not to rant or rage, but to create a separate world, away from the nonsense of current affairs - then invite his listeners into it. His show is the most listened-to night-time programme in London and is an understated joy," while The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
called him "The Emperor of night-time talk radio."
The Experts' Expert from The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
wrote "There's no-one quite like him. You get the impression that he's living just a bit dangerously, and that's what makes phone-ins exciting".
He has won several awards including a Bronze Sony Radio Award
Sony Radio Academy Awards
The Sony Radio Academy Awards , started in 1983, are some of the most prestigious awards in the British radio industry. They are run by ZAFER Associates in association with the Radio Academy...
. The judges described him "An exception to the run-of-the-mill phone-in. It was all down to the presenter who appeared so laid back that his callers could not see how he was teasing them. A very dry sense of humour and great fun."
He won Best Talk Show Host at the New York Radio Awards in 2001.
Celebrity callers
- Peter CookPeter CookPeter Edward Cook was an English satirist, writer and comedian. An extremely influential figure in modern British comedy, he is regarded as the leading light of the British satire boom of the 1960s. He has been described by Stephen Fry as "the funniest man who ever drew breath," although Cook's...
made a series of calls with the pseudonym "Sven from Swiss Cottage", a Norwegian fisherman who'd come to London looking for romance and to escape the fish-obsessed phone-ins of Norway. Over time, Cook created an elaborate story of Sven's attempts to find love, or to find his estranged wife, often claiming to call from remote parts of the world where he believed his wife may have gone. These have been recorded in "Tragically I Was An Only Twin", a collection of his writings and are also available on Bull's subscription podcast. Peter Cook's former neighbour Rainbow George WeissRainbow George WeissRainbow George Weiss son of a diamond merchant, is a fringe UK politician who stood in 13 constituencies at the 2005 General Election....
remains a regular caller with news of his political activities. - Michael BarrymoreMichael BarrymoreMichael Kieron Parker , better known by his stage name Michael Barrymore, is a British comedian who appeared as a presenter of game shows and light entertainment programmes on British television in the 1980s and 1990s. These included Strike It Lucky, My Kind of People, My Kind of Music and Kids Say...
once phoned in to take part in a talent contest as himself. He came seventh. - Tony BlackburnTony BlackburnTony Blackburn is an English disc jockey, who broadcast on the "pirate" stations Radio Caroline and Radio London in the 1960s and was the first disc jockey to broadcast on BBC Radio 1 in 1967. In 2002 he was the winner of the ITV reality TV programme I'm a Celebrity.....
called in to defend Smart carsSmart (automobile)Smart is an automotive branch of Daimler AG. Smart is a German manufacturer of microcars produced in Hambach, France, and Böblingen, Germany...
. - Bruce MansfieldBruce Mansfield-Early career:Mansfield began in radio with stints on stations including 3UZ, 3KZ, 3AW and 3XY in the 1960s. He later moved to television appearing on The Graham Kennedy Show on GTV-9 in the early 1970s...
(aka: Bruce Mane) is an Australian personality who is the presenter of nightline on the Australian talk radio station 3AW3AW3AW is a talkback radio station in Melbourne, Australia on 693 kHz AM. It began transmission on 22 February 1932 as Melbourne's fifth commercial radio station.-History:...
. He is an aussie larrikin on the show who is looking for a wife to take back to Australia. - Jane HorrocksJane HorrocksBarbara Jane Horrocks is an English voice, stage, screen and television actress, voice artist, musician, and singer. She is best known for her role as "Bubble" in the TV series Absolutely Fabulous as well as her distinctive voice....
answered a listener's question about a movie (featured on 20 December 2005 Celebrity Callers Special). - Patsy PalmerPatsy PalmerPatsy Palmer is an English actress. Palmer made an early television appearance on the children's drama show Grange Hill, but is best known for playing Bianca Jackson in the popular British television soap opera EastEnders. Originally in the cast from 1993–1999, Palmer returned to EastEnders in...
, called in to join a discussion about Cockney accents, and on another occasion, for listeners to look out for her lost dog, which was subsequently found and returned to her (featured on 20 December 2005 Celebrity Callers Special). - Kerry KatonaKerry KatonaKerry Jayne Elizabeth Katona is an English media personality and singer best known for her television work, predominantly in light entertainment and reality shows. She has also been a pop singer with girl group Atomic Kitten, a magazine columnist, an actress, and the author of ghostwritten books...
called in just before leaving to play I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! when Bull wondered whether she'd had a cosmetic surgery, which she said she hadn't. - Iain LeeIain LeeIain Lee is a British comedian, and a television and radio presenter. His career began when he performed stand-up comedy gigs across venues in London. He subsequently became co-presenter of the comedy current affairs show The 11 O'Clock Show on Channel 4 and RI:SE...
, used to make prank calls to the show. Years later he had his own show on the station.
External links
- LBC 97.3 presenter page and mirror at http://www.clivebull.co.uk