Ted Heath and the three day week he imposed in 1972 made a major contribution to the birth of UK phone in radio. TV switched off at 10pm and a nation left short of power, petrol and post deliveries now had only Radio available as its major source of broadcast information and entertainment.
My first radio station was BBC Radio London and my night time phone show was born to fill the early TV shut down slot.
To coincide with the stations 45th birthday (and a change back to its original name), Vanessa Feltz invited me back to the station to chat about those very early UK phone in show days.
You may well remember them.
Liked your Vanessa interview, Robbie. I too loved it when the gear went awry and the funky records came out. And how good it was to hear ‘Friends and Strangers’ at least twice a day !
Fantastic memories Robbie, I used to love it when the phones went down and you used to play the most fantastic soul records to fill the gaps!
Fantastic memories Robbie, I used to love it when the phone lines went down because you would fill the gaps in with the most brilliant soul records. Dust down your headphones and get back on the air right now!
Happy days. Thanks Robbie for all the happy memories from those dark days (when colour magazines like Practical Wireless would print in black and white due to energy restrictions). You introduced me (and presumably a large part of Britain) to Manhattan Transfer, playing Tuxedo Junction for the first time in the UK. I also remember you inadvertently created the TROLL. Do you remember those guys who used to call in and wind you up, then when you sussed them them they would say “I’M A KING OF RADIO LONDON” and slam the phone down. A nuisance, but some of them were quite funny!!
Heard Robbie on Solar Radio Christmas Eve, absolutely great!. Any chance of a guest show on said station, in the near future Robbie?.