With listening figures for the likes of Boom Radio at an all time high, the reason is crystal clear over their airwaves. They have employed the broadcasters that BBC deemed past their sell by date….
By Ian Woolley
Boxing Day will see both David Hamilton and Pete Murray (combined age of 181) present their special festive show along with another BBC cast-off Paul O’Grady.
Pete Murray & David Hamilton
With the demise of Radio 2 listeners over the last few decades, it’s no wonder that a gap in the market has emerged for new independent radio stations that cater for those that deserted them. Playing the music that the audience wants but with one subtle difference. The presenter knows their musical knowledge of the songs as they played them the first time around. The other presenters speak for themselves. Nicky Horne, Roger ‘Twiggy’ Day, Jenny Hanley, Graham Dene and Judi Spears have all got their own slots.
We asked veteran DJ and all round nice guy David ‘diddy’ Hamilton what he made of the new stats.
“It’s incredible. We launched almost a year and a half ago and initially, we were broadcasting in London and the reaction was so good that within a month they said let’s go national. In the last survey that’s just come through we gained 100,000 listeners in 3 months which is absolutely fantastic. I think what it is that it’s an audience that hasn’t been catered for – you know seniors. Radio 2 was going younger and local radio chasing a younger audience so this is a neglected audience. They’ve just embraced us with open arms.”
“We just now need to spread the word. Everybody who finds it seems to love it.”
The legendary former BBC radio 1 and 2 DJ has been with them since the station’s launch in 2021 and every weekday his dulcet tones can be heard from midday with his two-hour show.
Veteran producers David Lloyd and Phil Riley soft-launched the station but within a few weeks, they knew they were on a winner. Boom Radio is officially Britain’s fastest-growing radio station with a staggering 443,000 listeners.
Soon it will reach the half-a-million mark and now they’ve signed a relative youngster to the stable – 67-year-old Paul O’Grady. He will be presenting his show on Boxing Day after David and Pete’s. How does he feel about having Paul O’Grady in the studio?
“Well Paul had a tremendous following on Radio 2 and he left there because he wasn’t happy. They offered him his Christmas Show which he had done for the last 13 years and he said no thanks – I’m going to do it for Boom. So if he brings a lot of his listeners on Christmas Day that will give us another enormous boost” said David.
What’s it like to be in the studio again with Pete Murray?
“Pete’s 97 now and I’m 84 and someone worked out that between us we’ve got 181 years! We are the oldest broadcasting duo in history. Pete’s brain is still as bright as a button and the programme takes us right back to the early days of Radio Luxembourg. Then as a host of 6-5 Special which was the first TV pop show in this country. On to the BBC light programme and then Radio 2, Open House, Juke Box Jury and Thank Your Lucky Stars and all about the fantastic career he’s had. His recall is absolutely incredible so it was a very pleasant afternoon. We were chatting for about 2 hours and the music just came as we talked about it. Let’s play this record and let’s play that record. So many people are looking forward to the Boxing Day show and there is great affection for Pete Murray as he’s done everything.
“You know he was one of the very first disc jockeys. A disc jockey was a phrase that was imported from America and of course, the BBC didn’t have disc jockeys – only Radio Luxembourg. So Pete was one of the very first people to be called a disc jockey and he was my inspiration to come into Radio. I used to listen to him on ‘Luxy’ and I thought gosh, that’s what I’d like to do.”
“So my hero became my friend” added David, “and our show will be a walk down memory lane.
Lastly, favourite Christmas pop song?
“For me, it has to be Chris Rea’s Driving Home For Christmas” said David. “I took part in the video for that. We went to the studios at Pinewood and spent a day there making the commercial. It’s always shown on TV about this time of year on the music channels but I think it sums up perfectly the feeling of Christmas. If you are in the car and you are driving home and you hear that song, it’s just you, isn’t it?
The only sad thing is that when we made the commercial because Chris Rea wasn’t there as I was looking forward to meeting him. It was done for a charity and it was a lovely day and when it comes up people say to me ‘oh look!! There’s you and your mini!”
Open House with Peter Murray and David Hamilton will air on Boxing Day at 6pm. Available to listen on DAB, Alexa or catch up.
For more information about Boom Radio, go to www.boomradiouk.com
Our featured interview with David Hamilton was published in the 2018 December issue of the Beat and Pete Murray was featured in the 2021 February issue.
Back copies are available through the website.