David Shute
Encyclopedia
David Shute is a British
journalist, best known for his work at the BBC
.
in Essex
. While working on newspapers in Reading
he was auditioned by the BBC in Bristol
and immediately signed on contract. He made a reputation for engaging in adventurous broadcasts such as deep sea diving, riding on the back of a Royal Artillery
motorcycle during a display and, while covering a story on the changing face of circus life, going on the flying trapeze
. David Shute was the first person to broadcast live to the UK while travelling through the sound barrier
. He regularly on BBC Radio Four's Today programme
programme. As a reporter he covered conflicts in Borneo
and Sarawak
which resulted in the Radio Four programme The Quiet Confrontation, produced by Roy Hayward. He also covered the troubles in Aden
and the Radfan
.
He was promoted to the post of Senior Talks Producer at the BBC's Pebble Mill studios. There he built a reputation for mounting outside broadcasts. He maintained a productive association with the Royal Shakespeare Company
at Stratford upon Avon and worked with actors including Ian Richardson
, Richard Pasco
and Margaret Tyzack
. He directed Richardson's memorable radio performance of Nevil Shute
's Requiem for a Wren
, which was featured as a Book at Bedtime
. He gave David Suchet his first broadcast job, reading a "Morning Story".
Outside the BBC he wrote and produced Warwick Castle Mediaeval Banquet, which ran for more than 17 years. He later founded a Production Company specialising in Video and Conference Production.
, Shute works as a lecturer on cruise ship
s covering such topics as "broadcasting" and "the musical theatre", accompanied by recordings of his work as a reporter. Ashore he finds himself in demand as an after dinner speaker.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
journalist, best known for his work at the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.
Career
Shute was educated at Brentwood SchoolBrentwood School (England)
Brentwood School is an independent school in Brentwood, Essex, England. Educating boys and girls in a British public school tradition. Brentwood School is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. While working on newspapers in Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
he was auditioned by the BBC in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and immediately signed on contract. He made a reputation for engaging in adventurous broadcasts such as deep sea diving, riding on the back of a Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
motorcycle during a display and, while covering a story on the changing face of circus life, going on the flying trapeze
Flying Trapeze
The flying trapeze is a specific form of the trapeze in which a performer jumps from a platform with the trapeze so that gravity makes the trapeze swing....
. David Shute was the first person to broadcast live to the UK while travelling through the sound barrier
Sound barrier
The sound barrier, in aerodynamics, is the point at which an aircraft moves from transonic to supersonic speed. The term, which occasionally has other meanings, came into use during World War II, when a number of aircraft started to encounter the effects of compressibility, a collection of several...
. He regularly on BBC Radio Four's Today programme
Today programme
Today is BBC Radio 4's long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, now broadcast from 6.00 am to 9.00 am Monday to Friday, and 7.00 am to 9.00 am on Saturdays. It is also the most popular programme on Radio 4 and one of the BBC's most popular programmes across its radio networks...
programme. As a reporter he covered conflicts in Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
and Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
which resulted in the Radio Four programme The Quiet Confrontation, produced by Roy Hayward. He also covered the troubles in Aden
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
and the Radfan
Radfan
Radfan or the Radfan Hills is a region of the Republic of Yemen. In the 1960s, the area was part of a British protectorate of Dhala and was the site of intense fighting during the Aden Emergency...
.
He was promoted to the post of Senior Talks Producer at the BBC's Pebble Mill studios. There he built a reputation for mounting outside broadcasts. He maintained a productive association with the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
at Stratford upon Avon and worked with actors including Ian Richardson
Ian Richardson
Ian William Richardson CBE was a Scottish actor best known for his portrayal of the Machiavellian Tory politician Francis Urquhart in the BBC's House of Cards trilogy. He was also a leading Shakespearean stage actor....
, Richard Pasco
Richard Pasco
Richard Edward Pasco, CBE is a British stage, screen and TV actor.-Early life:Pasco was born in Barnes, London, the son of Phyllis Irene and Cecil George Pasco. He was educated at the King's College School, Wimbledon...
and Margaret Tyzack
Margaret Tyzack
Margaret Maud Tyzack, CBE was a British actress.-Early life:Tyzack was born in Essex, England, the daughter of Doris and Thomas Edward Tyzack. She grew up in West Ham...
. He directed Richardson's memorable radio performance of Nevil Shute
Nevil Shute
Nevil Shute Norway was a popular British-Australian novelist and a successful aeronautical engineer. He used his full name in his engineering career, and 'Nevil Shute' as his pen name, in order to protect his engineering career from any potential negative publicity in connection with his novels.-...
's Requiem for a Wren
Requiem for a Wren
Requiem For A Wren is a novel by Nevil Shute. It was first published in 1955 by William Heinemann Ltd. It was published in the USA under the title The Breaking Wave.-Plot summary:...
, which was featured as a Book at Bedtime
Book at Bedtime
Book at Bedtime is a long-running radio programme on BBC Radio 4, broadcast each weekday evening at 10.45–11.00 pm.Book at Bedtime offers fiction including modern classics, new works by leading writers and literature from around the world. Books are usually abridged and serialised each evening for...
. He gave David Suchet his first broadcast job, reading a "Morning Story".
Outside the BBC he wrote and produced Warwick Castle Mediaeval Banquet, which ran for more than 17 years. He later founded a Production Company specialising in Video and Conference Production.
Retirement
Living in retirement in SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Shute works as a lecturer on cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
s covering such topics as "broadcasting" and "the musical theatre", accompanied by recordings of his work as a reporter. Ashore he finds himself in demand as an after dinner speaker.