Tony Blackburn
Encyclopedia
Tony 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... Get Me Out of Here!.
, Surrey
, but in 1946 his family moved to Bournemouth
, Hampshire, where his sister, Jacqueline, was born. His mother, Pauline Cubitt (née Stone), was a housewife and his father, Kenneth Fleming Blackburn, was a GP
, and he was educated at Castle Court School in Parkstone
, Poole
, Dorset
and Millfield School
in Somerset
, which he entered on a sports scholarship. He went on to become captain of the school cricket
team, but left before taking any examinations. He then achieved a clutch of O-levels, following private tuition, and enrolled for a HND
course in Business Studies
at Bournemouth
Technical College. He began his career as a singer, then worked as a DJ for the offshore pirate radio
stations Radio Caroline
and Radio London
, before joining the BBC
in 1967, initially broadcasting on the Light Programme
.
He was the first DJ on BBC Radio 1
when it was launched on 30 September 1967, and presented the breakfast show until 1973. The first words spoken on BBC Radio 1 were "...and good morning everyone! Welcome to the exciting new sound of Radio 1". As his singing career failed to take off, despite 14 singles being released (two of which, "So Much Love" and "It's Only Love" made the UK Top 40
), he stopped singing and concentrated on radio presenting. His cheery style and corny jokes ensured his household reputation and made him a popular figure with some, though his dislike of heavy and progressive rock and punk/new wave made him a hate figure with others. His fellow Radio 1 DJ John Peel
would often derisively refer to him as "Timmy Bannockburn".
At first he was associated mainly with bubblegum and mainstream pop, but he later championed soul music. It was largely due to him that "I'm Still Waiting" by Diana Ross
, which was initially just an album track, was released as a single in the UK in 1971 and reached number one. He was a regular host of Top of the Pops
and in 1968 he fronted his own show, Time For Blackburn, produced by Southern Television
for the ITV
network.
In 1973 he released a Northern soul
single under the name Lenny Gamble, and was allegedly furious when Noel Edmonds
, who had recently been given Blackburn's BBC Radio 1 breakfast show slot, revealed the alias on air. Nevertheless both broadcasters later became close friends.
In June 1973, he took over the weekday mid-morning slot, where he introduced 'The Golden Hour'. The feature was to prove popular, being carried on by Simon Bates
and Simon Mayo
when they took over the slot in subsequent years.
Over several years of the 1970s, Blackburn was a co-presenter on the BBC
's summer programme Seaside Special
, alongside other well known names from BBC Radio
such as Dave Lee Travis
and David Hamilton.
In November 1977 he took over the weekday afternoon show. During this period, he was going through divorce with his first wife, actress Tessa Wyatt
.
. During 1982 BBC Radio 1 dropped the name Junior Choice and the show became the Weekend Breakfast Show which Blackburn continued to host until his final show on 23 September 1984. In addition to his BBC Radio 1 weekend show, he joined BBC Radio London in 1981, where he presented the weekday afternoon show. It was here that he showed his love for soul music.
Having left BBC Radio 1 after 17 years he took over BBC Radio London's weekday mid-morning show in 1984, mixing soul music with guests and phone-ins until 1988 when he joined Capital Gold
presenting the breakfast show for many years, later moving to the drivetime slot until early 2002 when he took over the Weekday Evening Show from 8-10pm, playing soul music.
following the station's acquisition by GMG Radio
in March 2003 as host of Real Soul every weeknight from 10pm until midnight, initially a live programme before a contract to host the Classic Gold
breakfast show that May meant the show became voicetracked - Real Soul ended in March 2004. He was awarded the 'Oldie Of The Year' title in 2003. In addition, Blackburn presented a pre-recorded show entitled the Real Party Night, broadcast across the GMG Radio
network and later by CN Radio stations every Saturday evening, prior to its conclusion in mid 2005.
In March 2004, Blackburn returned to BBC London 94.9
, presenting a Monday evening soul show, and in addition to that, in April of the same year, he also took on the Saturday lunchtime show.
He also hosted the breakfast show on Classic Gold
, with co-hosts Erika North and Sandy Warr. Although his Monday evening show on BBC London 94.9
ended in July 2004, he still continued to present the Saturday lunchtime show for the station.
In June 2004, he was temporarily suspended from his show on Classic Gold for playing songs by Cliff Richard
, in defiance of a ruling by the head of programmes that Richard's music did not match the station's 'brand values'. The dispute made national headlines and was even referred to in Parliament, with Leader of the House Peter Hain
voicing his support for Blackburn. He was reinstated, amid rumours that the episode was merely a publicity stunt. The station started adding Richard's songs to their playlist after public reaction to this.
He performed in a science fiction
audio play
based on the Doctor Who
television series by Big Finish Productions
- The Rapture
. He played himself as a DJ, in an Ibiza
nightclub where sinister forces are brainwashing the patrons.
In 2002, he appeared in the first series of the British reality TV series, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, which he eventually won. Blackburn also occasionally fronts competitions on GMTV
, including "The Clues Brothers" (a parody of The Blues Brothers
), with fellow DJ Keith Chegwin
.
In February 2006, Blackburns house was renovated in an episode of How Not to Decorate
.
In 2007, Blackburn was part of Beat The Boys on Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
. His obstacle was 'Tony Blackburn's Wheel of Steel' and he made a few appearances on Never Mind the Buzzcocks
between 2001 and 2005, appearing alongside guests such as Slash
and Gary Moore
.
In 2007, Blackburn collaborated with The Wurzels
to re-release "I Am A Cider Drinker", in aid of a Bristol
prostate cancer
charity. He left the Classic Gold
breakfast show, upon the merger with Capital Gold
, the same year. On 30 September 2007, he co-presented a recreation of BBC Radio 1's first programme with Chris Moyles
to mark the station's 40th birthday.
After leaving Classic Gold
, Blackburn continued with his Saturday Lunchtime show on BBC London 94.9
and also took over a three hour soul show on the KMFM network in Kent each Sunday afternoon. Blackburn made celebrity guest appearances on Channel 4
's Countdown
in early October 2007.
In February 2008, he took over the weekend breakfast show on 102.2 Smooth Radio
in London from 7–10 am every Saturday and Sunday. The show began simulcast
ing on several other stations in the Smooth Network from 7 June 2008. Blackburn also acted as holiday cover for his Smooth colleague Graham Dene
on the weekday breakfast show. Lynn Parsons
was his weekend breakfast show cover. From 21 August 2010 his weekend breakfast show was extended by one hour, airing from 6-10am, but he left Smooth on 30 October 2010 as he returned to the BBC.
On 9 March 2008, he began a Sunday request show (in place of his Saturday show) on BBC London 94.9. He also presents the Sunday afternoon show on the KMFM radio stations in Kent. At the beginning of April 2009, his Sunday show returned to a soul and Motown format.
Blackburn co-presented the BBC Children In Need programme with Caroline Feraday
, from Dickens World in Chatham, Kent for the BBC South East
region on 14 November 2008.
On 31 May 2010 Blackburn returned to BBC Radio 2
for a one-off live show featuring the 60 Top Selling Hits of the 60s; in July 2010 he also stood in for 3 days for Judi Spiers on BBC Radio Devon and on 30 August he again returned to BBC Radio 2
for another one-off live show featuring the top 100 million-selling UK singles.
On Saturday 6 November 2010, Blackburn replaced Dale Winton
as the regular host of BBC Radio 2
's Pick of the Pops
programme. Blackburn now presents BBC Radio 2
's Pick of the Pops
every Saturday from 1-3pm as well as BBC London 94.9
on Sundays from 12-2pm and a weekly Motown and soul
show on Radio Plymouth
.
- August 1971
In 1972, Blackburn married actress Tessa Wyatt
. They had a son Simon (born 8 April 1973). They divorced in 1977. He lives with his second wife Debra and their daughter Victoria (born 1997) in Arkley
, near Barnet
, Hertfordshire.
Blackburn has been a vegetarian since he was four years old.
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...
disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
, who broadcast on the "pirate" stations Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly...
and Radio London
Wonderful Radio London
Radio London, also known as Big L and Wonderful Radio London, was a top 40 offshore commercial station that operated from 16 December 1964 to 14 August 1967, from a ship anchored in the North Sea, three and a half miles off Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, England...
in the 1960s and was the first disc jockey to broadcast on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
in 1967. In 2002 he was the winner of the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
reality TV programme I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!.
Early career
He was born Antony Kenneth Blackburn, in GuildfordGuildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, but in 1946 his family moved to Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
, Hampshire, where his sister, Jacqueline, was born. His mother, Pauline Cubitt (née Stone), was a housewife and his father, Kenneth Fleming Blackburn, was a GP
General practitioner
A general practitioner is a medical practitioner who treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. They have particular skills in treating people with multiple health issues and comorbidities...
, and he was educated at Castle Court School in Parkstone
Parkstone
Parkstone is an area of Poole, Dorset. It is divided into 'Lower' and 'Upper' Parkstone. Upper Parkstone - "Up-on-'ill" as it used to be known in local parlance - is so-called because it is largely on higher ground slightly to the north of the lower-lying area of Lower Parkstone - "The Village" -...
, Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
and Millfield School
Millfield
Millfield is an independent school in Street in Somerset, in south-west England.The school currently has a roll of 1,260 pupils, of whom 910 are boarders...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, which he entered on a sports scholarship. He went on to become captain of the school cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
team, but left before taking any examinations. He then achieved a clutch of O-levels, following private tuition, and enrolled for a HND
Higher National Diploma
A Higher National Diploma is a higher education qualification in the United Kingdom. This qualification can be used to gain entry into universities, and is considered equivalent to the first or second year of a university degree course....
course in Business Studies
Business studies
Business studies is an academic subject taught at higher level in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom, as well as at university level in many countries...
at Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
Technical College. He began his career as a singer, then worked as a DJ for the offshore pirate radio
Pirate radio
Pirate radio is illegal or unregulated radio transmission. The term is most commonly used to describe illegal broadcasting for entertainment or political purposes, but is also sometimes used for illegal two-way radio operation...
stations Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly...
and Radio London
Wonderful Radio London
Radio London, also known as Big L and Wonderful Radio London, was a top 40 offshore commercial station that operated from 16 December 1964 to 14 August 1967, from a ship anchored in the North Sea, three and a half miles off Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, England...
, before joining 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...
in 1967, initially broadcasting on the Light Programme
BBC Light Programme
The Light Programme was a BBC radio station which broadcast mainstream light entertainment and music from 1945 until 1967, when it was rebranded as BBC Radio 2...
.
1960s and 1970s
Tony Blackburn was in a group called Tony Blackburn and the Rovers which performed in the Bounemouth and surrounding areas.He was the first DJ on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
when it was launched on 30 September 1967, and presented the breakfast show until 1973. The first words spoken on BBC Radio 1 were "...and good morning everyone! Welcome to the exciting new sound of Radio 1". As his singing career failed to take off, despite 14 singles being released (two of which, "So Much Love" and "It's Only Love" made the UK Top 40
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
), he stopped singing and concentrated on radio presenting. His cheery style and corny jokes ensured his household reputation and made him a popular figure with some, though his dislike of heavy and progressive rock and punk/new wave made him a hate figure with others. His fellow Radio 1 DJ John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
would often derisively refer to him as "Timmy Bannockburn".
At first he was associated mainly with bubblegum and mainstream pop, but he later championed soul music. It was largely due to him that "I'm Still Waiting" by Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
, which was initially just an album track, was released as a single in the UK in 1971 and reached number one. He was a regular host of Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
and in 1968 he fronted his own show, Time For Blackburn, produced by Southern Television
Southern Television
Southern Television was the first ITV broadcasting licence holder for the south and south-east of England from 30 August 1958 until the night of 31 December 1981. The company was launched as Southern Television Limited and the title Southern Television was consistently used on-air throughout its life...
for the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
network.
In 1973 he released a Northern soul
Northern soul
Northern soul is a music and dance movement that emerged from the British mod scene, initially in northern England in the late 1960s. Northern soul mainly consists of a particular style of black American soul music based on the heavy beat and fast tempo of the mid-1960s Tamla Motown sound...
single under the name Lenny Gamble, and was allegedly furious when Noel Edmonds
Noel Edmonds
Noel Ernest Edmonds, is an English broadcaster and executive, who made his name as a DJ on BBC Radio 1 in the UK. He has presented many light entertainment television programmes, including Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, Top of the Pops, The Late, Late Breakfast Show, Telly Addicts, Noel's Saturday...
, who had recently been given Blackburn's BBC Radio 1 breakfast show slot, revealed the alias on air. Nevertheless both broadcasters later became close friends.
In June 1973, he took over the weekday mid-morning slot, where he introduced 'The Golden Hour'. The feature was to prove popular, being carried on by Simon Bates
Simon Bates
Simon Bates is a UK disc jockey and radio presenter. Between 1976 and 1993 he worked at BBC Radio 1, presenting the station's weekday mid-morning show for most of this period. He later became a regular presenter on Classic FM...
and 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...
when they took over the slot in subsequent years.
Over several years of the 1970s, Blackburn was a co-presenter on 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...
's summer programme Seaside Special
Seaside Special
Seaside Special was a BBC light entertainment show broadcast from the mid-late 1970s. It was an outside broadcast and was always filmed in a big top in a British seaside resort. Originally the big top belonged to various circuses , but in later seasons, the BBC purchased their own big top to act...
, alongside other well known names from 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...
such as Dave Lee Travis
Dave Lee Travis
Dave Lee Travis , also known professionally as DLT and the Hairy Cornflake, is a British radio presenter, best known for his career on BBC Radio 1.-Early life:...
and David Hamilton.
In November 1977 he took over the weekday afternoon show. During this period, he was going through divorce with his first wife, actress Tessa Wyatt
Tessa Wyatt
Tessa Wyatt is an English actress who first came to the public spotlight through her marriage to Tony Blackburn. She later starred in the sitcom Robin's Nest.-Early life:...
.
1980s and 1990s
In early 1980 he took over Junior Choice on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 8-10am, while continuing to present the Sunday chart show until the end of 1981 - being succeeded by Tommy VanceTommy Vance
Tommy Vance was a British pop radio broadcaster, born in Eynsham, Oxfordshire. He was one of the few music broadcasters in the United Kingdom to champion hard rock and heavy metal in the early 1980s, providing the only national radio forum for both bands and fans...
. During 1982 BBC Radio 1 dropped the name Junior Choice and the show became the Weekend Breakfast Show which Blackburn continued to host until his final show on 23 September 1984. In addition to his BBC Radio 1 weekend show, he joined BBC Radio London in 1981, where he presented the weekday afternoon show. It was here that he showed his love for soul music.
Having left BBC Radio 1 after 17 years he took over BBC Radio London's weekday mid-morning show in 1984, mixing soul music with guests and phone-ins until 1988 when he joined Capital Gold
Capital Gold
Gold is a network of oldies radio stations which was formed by the merger of the Capital Gold network and the Classic Gold Network in August 2007...
presenting the breakfast show for many years, later moving to the drivetime slot until early 2002 when he took over the Weekday Evening Show from 8-10pm, playing soul music.
Recent years
Blackburn left Capital Gold in late 2002; he joined London's Jazz FM102.2 Jazz FM
102.2 Jazz FM was a local jazz and soul music station for London run by GMG Radio. The station was based and broadcast from Castlereagh Street in London to around 15.5 million people within the broadcasting area...
following the station's acquisition by GMG Radio
GMG Radio
GMG Radio is the radio division of the Guardian Media Group. The group is based in Laser House, Salford Quays in Greater Manchester. The advertising division is in Old Trafford, Manchester. John Myers was the Chief Executive Officer, his deputy replaced him in April 2009...
in March 2003 as host of Real Soul every weeknight from 10pm until midnight, initially a live programme before a contract to host the Classic Gold
Classic Gold Digital Network
Classic Gold Digital Network was one of the biggest 'gold' formatted radio networks in the United Kingdom, with a potential audience of 47 million. Classic Gold was broadcast on analogue and DAB digital platforms, as well as Sky channel 0189.-History:...
breakfast show that May meant the show became voicetracked - Real Soul ended in March 2004. He was awarded the 'Oldie Of The Year' title in 2003. In addition, Blackburn presented a pre-recorded show entitled the Real Party Night, broadcast across the GMG Radio
GMG Radio
GMG Radio is the radio division of the Guardian Media Group. The group is based in Laser House, Salford Quays in Greater Manchester. The advertising division is in Old Trafford, Manchester. John Myers was the Chief Executive Officer, his deputy replaced him in April 2009...
network and later by CN Radio stations every Saturday evening, prior to its conclusion in mid 2005.
In March 2004, Blackburn returned to BBC London 94.9
BBC London 94.9
BBC London 94.9 is London's BBC Local Radio station, and part of BBC London. Broadcasting across Greater London and beyond on 94.9 FM, DAB, Virgin Media Channel 930, Sky Channel 0152 and also online...
, presenting a Monday evening soul show, and in addition to that, in April of the same year, he also took on the Saturday lunchtime show.
He also hosted the breakfast show on Classic Gold
Classic Gold Digital Network
Classic Gold Digital Network was one of the biggest 'gold' formatted radio networks in the United Kingdom, with a potential audience of 47 million. Classic Gold was broadcast on analogue and DAB digital platforms, as well as Sky channel 0189.-History:...
, with co-hosts Erika North and Sandy Warr. Although his Monday evening show on BBC London 94.9
BBC London 94.9
BBC London 94.9 is London's BBC Local Radio station, and part of BBC London. Broadcasting across Greater London and beyond on 94.9 FM, DAB, Virgin Media Channel 930, Sky Channel 0152 and also online...
ended in July 2004, he still continued to present the Saturday lunchtime show for the station.
In June 2004, he was temporarily suspended from his show on Classic Gold for playing songs by Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
, in defiance of a ruling by the head of programmes that Richard's music did not match the station's 'brand values'. The dispute made national headlines and was even referred to in Parliament, with Leader of the House Peter Hain
Peter Hain
Peter Gerald Hain is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for the Welsh constituency of Neath since 1991, and has served in the Cabinets of both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, firstly as Leader of the House of Commons under Blair and both Secretary of State for...
voicing his support for Blackburn. He was reinstated, amid rumours that the episode was merely a publicity stunt. The station started adding Richard's songs to their playlist after public reaction to this.
He performed in a science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
audio play
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
based on the Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
television series by Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
- The Rapture
The Rapture (Doctor Who audio)
The Rapture is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Plot:...
. He played himself as a DJ, in an Ibiza
Ibiza
Ibiza or Eivissa is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses. Its largest cities are Ibiza...
nightclub where sinister forces are brainwashing the patrons.
In 2002, he appeared in the first series of the British reality TV series, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, which he eventually won. Blackburn also occasionally fronts competitions on GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
, including "The Clues Brothers" (a parody of The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedy actors Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on Saturday Night Live...
), with fellow DJ Keith Chegwin
Keith Chegwin
Keith Chegwin is an English television presenter, former child actor and singer.-Early career:Chegwin's early roles were in works of the Children's Film Foundation, appearing as Egghead Wentworth in The Troublesome Double Egghead's Robot . He also appeared as a stowaway in Doomwatch episode...
.
In February 2006, Blackburns house was renovated in an episode of How Not to Decorate
How Not to Decorate
How Not to Decorate is a television series which aired from 1 August 2004 to 27 April 2006 on Five in the United Kingdom. Designers Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan helped redecorate notoriously ugly or unstylish homes, in a format similar to the What Not to Wear series...
.
In 2007, Blackburn was part of Beat The Boys on Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
Saturday Night Takeaway
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, is a variety show created by LWT and shown in the UK on Saturday evenings on ITV, presented and executively produced by Ant & Dec. It is broadcast live from The London Studios on the South Bank...
. His obstacle was 'Tony Blackburn's Wheel of Steel' and he made a few appearances on Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game television show with a pop music theme, currently without a permanent presenter. It stars Phill Jupitus and Noel Fielding as team captains. The show is produced by Talkback Thames for the BBC, and is usually aired on BBC Two...
between 2001 and 2005, appearing alongside guests such as Slash
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
and Gary Moore
Gary Moore
Robert William Gary Moore , better known simply as Gary Moore, was a Northern Irish musician from Belfast, best recognised as a blues rock guitarist and singer....
.
In 2007, Blackburn collaborated with The Wurzels
The Wurzels
The Wurzels are a British Scrumpy and Western band...
to re-release "I Am A Cider Drinker", in aid of a 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...
prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
charity. He left the Classic Gold
Classic Gold Digital Network
Classic Gold Digital Network was one of the biggest 'gold' formatted radio networks in the United Kingdom, with a potential audience of 47 million. Classic Gold was broadcast on analogue and DAB digital platforms, as well as Sky channel 0189.-History:...
breakfast show, upon the merger with Capital Gold
Capital Gold
Gold is a network of oldies radio stations which was formed by the merger of the Capital Gold network and the Classic Gold Network in August 2007...
, the same year. On 30 September 2007, he co-presented a recreation of BBC Radio 1's first programme with Chris Moyles
Chris Moyles
Christopher David Moyles is an English radio and television presenter and author, who currently presents The Chris Moyles Show on BBC Radio 1 and Chris Moyles' Quiz Night on Channel 4....
to mark the station's 40th birthday.
After leaving Classic Gold
Classic Gold Digital Network
Classic Gold Digital Network was one of the biggest 'gold' formatted radio networks in the United Kingdom, with a potential audience of 47 million. Classic Gold was broadcast on analogue and DAB digital platforms, as well as Sky channel 0189.-History:...
, Blackburn continued with his Saturday Lunchtime show on BBC London 94.9
BBC London 94.9
BBC London 94.9 is London's BBC Local Radio station, and part of BBC London. Broadcasting across Greater London and beyond on 94.9 FM, DAB, Virgin Media Channel 930, Sky Channel 0152 and also online...
and also took over a three hour soul show on the KMFM network in Kent each Sunday afternoon. Blackburn made celebrity guest appearances on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's Countdown
Countdown (game show)
Countdown is a British game show involving word and number puzzles. It is produced by ITV Studios and broadcast on Channel 4. It is presented by Jeff Stelling, assisted by Rachel Riley, with regular lexicographer Susie Dent. It was the first programme to be aired on Channel 4, and over sixty-five...
in early October 2007.
Current work
In January 2008, in addition to his two weekend shows, he began presenting a weekly show on KCFM 99.8fm in Hull and East Yorkshire.In February 2008, he took over the weekend breakfast show on 102.2 Smooth Radio
102.2 Smooth Radio
102.2 Smooth Radio was an Independent Local Radio station for the Greater London area, which replaced 102.2 Smooth FM on 26 March 2007, launched by Gavin McCoy with Barbra Streisand's "A Star Is Born"...
in London from 7–10 am every Saturday and Sunday. The show began simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
ing on several other stations in the Smooth Network from 7 June 2008. Blackburn also acted as holiday cover for his Smooth colleague Graham Dene
Graham Dene
Graham Dene is a British radio personality.He was initially famous in the London area as Capital Radio's breakfast presenter in the 1970s and 1980s, and later worked for Virgin Radio. In 2006, he worked at Magic 105.4. In 2008, he was 102.2 Smooth Radio's breakfast host...
on the weekday breakfast show. Lynn Parsons
Lynn Parsons
Lynn Margaret Parsons is a British disc jockey and currently presents Weekends 10am - 2pm on UK radio station Smooth Radio and various shows on for BBC Radio 2.-Career:...
was his weekend breakfast show cover. From 21 August 2010 his weekend breakfast show was extended by one hour, airing from 6-10am, but he left Smooth on 30 October 2010 as he returned to the BBC.
On 9 March 2008, he began a Sunday request show (in place of his Saturday show) on BBC London 94.9. He also presents the Sunday afternoon show on the KMFM radio stations in Kent. At the beginning of April 2009, his Sunday show returned to a soul and Motown format.
Blackburn co-presented the BBC Children In Need programme with Caroline Feraday
Caroline Feraday
Radio Broadcasting =She joined Capital FM at the age of 18, after studying journalism and earlier stints at BBC Radio Kent and Invicta FM, spent five years as the station's Flying Eye travel reporter on Foxy's Drivetime and Tarrant at Breakfast, and presented Capital's London Chart show. In 2001...
, from Dickens World in Chatham, Kent for the BBC South East
BBC South East
BBC South East is the BBC English Region serving East Sussex, Kent, and parts of Surrey and West Sussex.The BBC region was created in September 2001 by the joining of the Heathfield transmitter , with the Bluebell Hill and Dover transmitters to form a new regional TV service...
region on 14 November 2008.
On 31 May 2010 Blackburn returned to 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...
for a one-off live show featuring the 60 Top Selling Hits of the 60s; in July 2010 he also stood in for 3 days for Judi Spiers on BBC Radio Devon and on 30 August he again returned to 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...
for another one-off live show featuring the top 100 million-selling UK singles.
On Saturday 6 November 2010, Blackburn replaced Dale Winton
Dale Winton
Dale Winton is an English radio DJ and television presenter.-Early life:Winton's father, Gary, was "domineering" and died when Winton was 13. Winton was brought up by his mother, actress Sheree Winton...
as the regular host of 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...
's Pick of the Pops
Pick of the Pops
Pick of the Pops is a BBC Radio programme, originally based on the Top 20 UK singles chart and first broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in 1955. It transferred to BBC Radio 1 from 1967...
programme. Blackburn now presents 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...
's Pick of the Pops
Pick of the Pops
Pick of the Pops is a BBC Radio programme, originally based on the Top 20 UK singles chart and first broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in 1955. It transferred to BBC Radio 1 from 1967...
every Saturday from 1-3pm as well as BBC London 94.9
BBC London 94.9
BBC London 94.9 is London's BBC Local Radio station, and part of BBC London. Broadcasting across Greater London and beyond on 94.9 FM, DAB, Virgin Media Channel 930, Sky Channel 0152 and also online...
on Sundays from 12-2pm and a weekly Motown and soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
show on Radio Plymouth
Radio Plymouth
Radio Plymouth is an independent commercial radio station broadcasting from the Devon city of Plymouth.-History:Radio Plymouth was launched at 10am on Sunday 28 February 2010 by television presenter Phillip Schofield, an investor in the station. The first song played was The Way It Is by Bruce...
.
Personal life
NMENME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
- August 1971
In 1972, Blackburn married actress Tessa Wyatt
Tessa Wyatt
Tessa Wyatt is an English actress who first came to the public spotlight through her marriage to Tony Blackburn. She later starred in the sitcom Robin's Nest.-Early life:...
. They had a son Simon (born 8 April 1973). They divorced in 1977. He lives with his second wife Debra and their daughter Victoria (born 1997) in Arkley
Arkley
Arkley is a village in the London Borough of Barnet. It is located north north-west of Charing Cross, and at above sea level is one of the highest points in London....
, near Barnet
Barnet
High Barnet or Chipping Barnet is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is a suburban development built around a twelfth-century settlement and is located north north-west of Charing Cross. Its name is often abbreviated to Barnet, which is also the name of the London...
, Hertfordshire.
Blackburn has been a vegetarian since he was four years old.
Publications
His autobiography, Poptastic; My Life in Radio was published in September 2007, by Cassell Illustrated.External links
- Tony Blackburn at SmoothRadioLondon.com
- Tony Blackburn at Radio Rewind
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/may/28/tony-blackburn Audio: Interview with Paul Morley for The Observer, 2010