主播大秀

Brian Matthew has mentioned before how he was as a 主播大秀 DJ in 1967 when the Light Programme was split into Radios 1 and 2. It took a while, but eventually Brian had the opportunity to move into more of an all round arts and culture scene, with a show called Round Midnight.

"It was initially supposed to have been introduced by two people, it was a three hour show from 11 o'clock at night until 2 the following morning. And they asked me to be one of the comperes."

Round Midnight began in 1978. Russell Davies was occasionally his deputy when Brian was on holiday and is on record as saying it's the hardest work he ever did in broadcasting: you had to read a book most days, if not two; bank some recordings in the afternoon; listen to an album; go to a gallery; go to the studio to help prepare a running order; then, finally, you went to the studio late at night to do this long, live show, interviewing actors who had just come off a West End stage who were often still in makeup. "It was all day, every day" says Russell. "I have no idea how Brian kept it up for a dozen years."

Brian says that "initially they had a lady in mind to do a dual presentation. I'm afraid I spat that one out because it wasn't a lady I particularly wanted to work with..." He will not be drawn on names. "I mean, she's ok, but I didn't particularly see myself as part of that circus. So I said no, I'll gladly do it, but not with that partnership. I would like to do it on my own." And so Brian ended up with the workload of two presenters!

"My wife now says 'thank God they took that off you eventually'... well, I loved it."