Richard Allinson
Encyclopedia
Richard John McNeill Allinson (born 12 October 1958) is a British broadcaster. He started his broadcasting
with a 3-year stint at Bailrigg FM
, known at that time as University Radio Bailrigg (URB),whilst undertaking college courses at Lancaster University Management School
. He was firstly Treasurer and then became President of URB. After developing a passion for radio
early on, Allinson chose a career in the industry and can now be heard on the BBC Radio
network, most often on BBC Radio 2
, and on BFBS
(British Forces) radio.
, Staffordshire
. He rejected a career in the legal profession and, in August 1980, took up broadcasting on London's Capital Radio
, presenting their Chart Show. He also presented the Early Breakfast show for some of this period. Following on from Capital's Chart Show, in 1984 he took over the late-night 10pm-midnight slot. In 1987 he took over the Weekday 2-4.30pm slot, followed by the weekday Early Breakfast show 4-6.30am in 1990. In addition to this, in around 1994 he worked alongside Julia Carling
on the satellite music television channel VH1
, where they hosted a live show together.
in 1997, presenting the Monday - Thursday late night show from 10.30pm-Midnight, which included a mix of music and guests.
In early 1999, Allinson briefly took over the weekday drivetime show from 5-7pm whilst regular presenter Johnnie Walker
was off air due to personal problems, with various guest presenters taking over the late show, but in mid 1999, Richard returned to the late night show.
In addition to his late night show, in 2000, Allinson also took over a Saturday afternoon show from 3.30-6.30pm, where he introduced the 'Radio Wall Of Sound' This was where listeners could ring in, listen to a selection of snippets of tunes until they liked one particularly, for it to play as quickly as they'd shouted 'play' or made some other noise dictated by the host after the caller had been probed about their life. They were rewarded with a CD album of their choice.
Allinson stepped down from the late night slot in June 2004, so he could concentrate on fronting Radio 2's 'Live & Exclusive' series & 'Sold on Song' projects. Alongside this, he still continued with his Saturday afternoon show, which was cut down to 2 hours in September 2004 & went out from 4-6pm every Saturday.
It was also during this period that he became the main stand-in for many weekday presenters when taking their holidays, such as Chris Evans, Simon Mayo
, Paul O'Grady
, Terry Wogan
, Ken Bruce
, Sarah Kennedy
and Steve Wright.
His Saturday show eventually ended in September 2005, but he still continued to stand in for weekday presenters on Radio 2 as well as present documentaries and specialist shows for the network, such as The Record Producers, which is usually broadcast from 7-8pm on Bank Holiday Mondays. On Sunday 24 August 2008 Allinson hosted London 2012 Party Live on BBC Radio 2
from The Mall outside Buckingham Palace
in London
which included the 2008 Beijing Olympics handover musical celebrations.
After the Radio 2 presenter reshuffles of early 2010, Allinson continues to stand in for weekday presenters.
on Sunday mornings from 9 am - 12 noon. The show included a mix of music, guests, competitions and a look at headlines from the Sunday papers. Since January 2007, he has presented the two hour live show Allinson's Albums between 12-2 pm every Saturday on BBC Radio Oxford
, and from 4 March 2007 is repeated on Sundays from 5-7 pm. The show is also broadcast on BBC Radio York
on Saturday Lunchtimes from 1-3pm, and on BBC Radio Cumbria
each Wednesday evening, repeated on Sunday afternoons.
. From October 2006 he took over a daily show for the network, going out Mondays-Fridays from 9-11am UK time, which he presented until March 2008. Richard has also been known to present shows on the BBC World Service
.
on a regular basis, presenting the weekend overnight slots, replacing Pete Mitchell and Mo Dutta
's slots. The show goes out on Friday nights/Saturday mornings from 3-6am and Saturday nights/Sunday mornings from 3-6am and is produced by production company Somethin' Else
. He also presents an occasional series called The Record Producers, which goes out on Bank Holiday Mondays.
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
with a 3-year stint at Bailrigg FM
Bailrigg FM
Bailrigg FM is the radio station for Lancaster University, operating in a music radio format predominantly featuring indie music. During evening and weekend hours programming moves to specialist content where the presenter is free to play whatever they wish...
, known at that time as University Radio Bailrigg (URB),whilst undertaking college courses at Lancaster University Management School
Lancaster University Management School
Lancaster University Management School in Lancaster, England, is the business school of Lancaster University. The School was established in 1964. A full range of subjects are taught, ranging from undergraduate degrees to postgraduate degrees including MBAs, PhDs and post-experience executive...
. He was firstly Treasurer and then became President of URB. After developing a passion for radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
early on, Allinson chose a career in the industry and can now be heard on the BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
network, most often on BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
, and on BFBS
British Forces Broadcasting Service
The British Forces Broadcasting Service provides radio and television programmes for HM Forces, and their dependents, in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, the Falkland Islands, Germany, Gibraltar, Kosovo, the Middle East, Northern Ireland and Tristan da Cunha as well as a live satellite...
(British Forces) radio.
Early career
Allinson was born in LichfieldLichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. He rejected a career in the legal profession and, in August 1980, took up broadcasting on London's Capital Radio
Capital Radio
Capital London is a London based radio station which launched on 16 October 1973 and is owned by Global Radio. On 3 January 2011 it formed part of the nine station Capital radio network.- Pre-launch :...
, presenting their Chart Show. He also presented the Early Breakfast show for some of this period. Following on from Capital's Chart Show, in 1984 he took over the late-night 10pm-midnight slot. In 1987 he took over the Weekday 2-4.30pm slot, followed by the weekday Early Breakfast show 4-6.30am in 1990. In addition to this, in around 1994 he worked alongside Julia Carling
Julia Carling
Julia Carling is a British journalist and television presenter. She is the ex-wife of former England rugby captain Will Carling. She is a vegetarian and is interested in Egyptology, having taken a Diploma in the subject at Birkbeck, University of London...
on the satellite music television channel VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
, where they hosted a live show together.
Radio 2
Allinson joined BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
in 1997, presenting the Monday - Thursday late night show from 10.30pm-Midnight, which included a mix of music and guests.
In early 1999, Allinson briefly took over the weekday drivetime show from 5-7pm whilst regular presenter Johnnie Walker
Johnnie Walker (DJ)
Johnnie Walker MBE is a popular British veteran radio disc jockey and broadcaster....
was off air due to personal problems, with various guest presenters taking over the late show, but in mid 1999, Richard returned to the late night show.
In addition to his late night show, in 2000, Allinson also took over a Saturday afternoon show from 3.30-6.30pm, where he introduced the 'Radio Wall Of Sound' This was where listeners could ring in, listen to a selection of snippets of tunes until they liked one particularly, for it to play as quickly as they'd shouted 'play' or made some other noise dictated by the host after the caller had been probed about their life. They were rewarded with a CD album of their choice.
Allinson stepped down from the late night slot in June 2004, so he could concentrate on fronting Radio 2's 'Live & Exclusive' series & 'Sold on Song' projects. Alongside this, he still continued with his Saturday afternoon show, which was cut down to 2 hours in September 2004 & went out from 4-6pm every Saturday.
It was also during this period that he became the main stand-in for many weekday presenters when taking their holidays, such as Chris Evans, Simon Mayo
Simon Mayo
Simon Mayo is an English radio presenter who has worked for BBC Radio since 1981. As of January 2010, Mayo is presenter of Simon Mayo Drivetime on BBC Radio 2 and, with Mark Kermode, presenter of Kermode and Mayo's Film Reviews on BBC Radio 5 Live.In 2008, Mayo was recognised as the "radio...
, Paul O'Grady
Paul O'Grady
Paul James Michael O'Grady MBE is an English comedian, television presenter, actor, writer and radio DJ. He is best known for presenting the daytime chat television series, The Paul O'Grady Show and, more recently, Paul O'Grady Live, as well as his drag queen comedic alter ego, Lily Savage, as...
, Terry Wogan
Terry Wogan
Sir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE, DL , or also known as Terry Wogan, is a veteran Irish radio and television broadcaster who holds dual Irish and British citizenship. Wogan has worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom for most of his career...
, Ken Bruce
Ken Bruce
Kenneth Robertson Bruce is a British broadcaster known for his programme on BBC Radio 2, which is broadcast on weekdays from 9:30am until 12 noon.-Early life and career:...
, Sarah Kennedy
Sarah Kennedy
Sarah Mary Kennedy MBE is a British TV and radio broadcaster. She presented her own daily early morning radio show, The Dawn Patrol, on BBC Radio 2 from 1993, before announcing her decision to leave the show on 3 September, 2010.Kennedy was honoured in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2005, when...
and Steve Wright.
His Saturday show eventually ended in September 2005, but he still continued to stand in for weekday presenters on Radio 2 as well as present documentaries and specialist shows for the network, such as The Record Producers, which is usually broadcast from 7-8pm on Bank Holiday Mondays. On Sunday 24 August 2008 Allinson hosted London 2012 Party Live on BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
from The Mall outside Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
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...
which included the 2008 Beijing Olympics handover musical celebrations.
After the Radio 2 presenter reshuffles of early 2010, Allinson continues to stand in for weekday presenters.
BBC Local Radio
From 8 January 2006 until 24 February 2007, Allinson presented a regular weekly show on BBC Radio OxfordBBC Radio Oxford
BBC Radio Oxford is the BBC Local Radio station for the English county of Oxfordshire, broadcasting on 95.2 FM via the Oxford transmitter and online. The station broadcasts live from the BBC's Summertown studios in Oxford between 5am and 7pm each weekday, for over 13 hours on Saturdays & 19 hours...
on Sunday mornings from 9 am - 12 noon. The show included a mix of music, guests, competitions and a look at headlines from the Sunday papers. Since January 2007, he has presented the two hour live show Allinson's Albums between 12-2 pm every Saturday on BBC Radio Oxford
BBC Radio Oxford
BBC Radio Oxford is the BBC Local Radio station for the English county of Oxfordshire, broadcasting on 95.2 FM via the Oxford transmitter and online. The station broadcasts live from the BBC's Summertown studios in Oxford between 5am and 7pm each weekday, for over 13 hours on Saturdays & 19 hours...
, and from 4 March 2007 is repeated on Sundays from 5-7 pm. The show is also broadcast on BBC Radio York
BBC Radio York
BBC York is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of North Yorkshire.- Early history :The station was launched at 6:30am on 4 July 1983 - a launch featured on the cover of the Radio Times...
on Saturday Lunchtimes from 1-3pm, and on BBC Radio Cumbria
BBC Radio Cumbria
BBC Radio Cumbria is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Cumbria and broadcasts from studios in Carlisle.- History :The county of Cumbria, from which the station takes its current name, was not created until 1974...
each Wednesday evening, repeated on Sunday afternoons.
Other work
Allinson has been heard on the various BFBS (British Forces) radio networks since 1980, first on Most Wanted for BFBS Radio 1, where he played mostly new music with a cutting edge, later moving to BFBS UK and others, and moved to BFBS Radio 2 in 2003 presenting in a style which the public have grown accustomed to with his shows on BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
. From October 2006 he took over a daily show for the network, going out Mondays-Fridays from 9-11am UK time, which he presented until March 2008. Richard has also been known to present shows on the BBC World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
.
Returning to Radio 2 with his own slot
From 2009, Allinson has returned to BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
on a regular basis, presenting the weekend overnight slots, replacing Pete Mitchell and Mo Dutta
Mo Dutta
Mohit "Mo" Dutta , is a television and radio presenter known for his dry sense of humour, who presented Saturday and Sunday morning shows on BBC Radio 2 between 1994 and May 2009.He has also been a familiar face on BBC1's Daytime TV...
's slots. The show goes out on Friday nights/Saturday mornings from 3-6am and Saturday nights/Sunday mornings from 3-6am and is produced by production company Somethin' Else
Somethin' Else Sound Directions Ltd.
Somethin' Else is a content design and creation company. They specialise in content across, games, interactivity, radio, TV, branded content and talent management....
. He also presents an occasional series called The Record Producers, which goes out on Bank Holiday Mondays.
Radio Credits
- Capital RadioCapital RadioCapital London is a London based radio station which launched on 16 October 1973 and is owned by Global Radio. On 3 January 2011 it formed part of the nine station Capital radio network.- Pre-launch :...
Chart Show Sundays 1980 - 1984 - Capital RadioCapital RadioCapital London is a London based radio station which launched on 16 October 1973 and is owned by Global Radio. On 3 January 2011 it formed part of the nine station Capital radio network.- Pre-launch :...
Late Show Weekdays 10pm-Midnight 1984 - 1987 - Capital RadioCapital RadioCapital London is a London based radio station which launched on 16 October 1973 and is owned by Global Radio. On 3 January 2011 it formed part of the nine station Capital radio network.- Pre-launch :...
Afternoon Show Weekdays 2-4.30pm 1987 - 1990 - Capital RadioCapital RadioCapital London is a London based radio station which launched on 16 October 1973 and is owned by Global Radio. On 3 January 2011 it formed part of the nine station Capital radio network.- Pre-launch :...
Early Breakfast Show Weekdays 5-7am 1990 - 1997 - BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
Late Nights Mondays - Thursdays 10.30pm - Midnight. March 1997 - June 2004 - BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
Saturday Afternoons 3.30-6.30pm April 2000-September 2004 4-6pm September 2004 - September 2005. - BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
Record Producers (alongside Steve Levine) Bank Holiday Mondays 7-8pm 2006–Present - BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
" Record Producers " ( alongside Steve Levine ) New Years Day 6-7pm 2007 - BBC Radio OxfordBBC Radio OxfordBBC Radio Oxford is the BBC Local Radio station for the English county of Oxfordshire, broadcasting on 95.2 FM via the Oxford transmitter and online. The station broadcasts live from the BBC's Summertown studios in Oxford between 5am and 7pm each weekday, for over 13 hours on Saturdays & 19 hours...
Sunday Mornings 9am-12midday January 2006 - February 2007 - BBC Radio OxfordBBC Radio OxfordBBC Radio Oxford is the BBC Local Radio station for the English county of Oxfordshire, broadcasting on 95.2 FM via the Oxford transmitter and online. The station broadcasts live from the BBC's Summertown studios in Oxford between 5am and 7pm each weekday, for over 13 hours on Saturdays & 19 hours...
Allinson's Albums Saturdays 12-2pm January 2007 - May 2009 - BBC Radio YorkBBC Radio YorkBBC York is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of North Yorkshire.- Early history :The station was launched at 6:30am on 4 July 1983 - a launch featured on the cover of the Radio Times...
Allinson's Albums Saturdays 1-3pm May 2007–Present - BBC Radio CumbriaBBC Radio CumbriaBBC Radio Cumbria is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Cumbria and broadcasts from studios in Carlisle.- History :The county of Cumbria, from which the station takes its current name, was not created until 1974...
Allinson's Albums Sundays From June 2008 - May 2009/Wednesdays and Sundays from June 2009–Present - BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
Weekend Overnights Friday night/Saturday Morning 3-6am & Saturday Night/Sunday Morning 3-6am 2009–Present