Happy New Year. This is the final instalment from me for the time being.
During the BBC World Service competition, I had a fair idea that this would be a big deal. I wasn’t thinking multi-million pound contracts, but I knew it would take me up a step to my goal. Mr Laycock was on the phone with the news I’d been waiting for. He was calm and sedated, he wasn’t really an excitable type, but you’d think if he was bringing news that the BBC wanted me to anchor a week of programmes on the biggest radio station in the world he would have a little enthusiasm in his voice. He stalled for a moment, and then read a name. “Katy Tozer.” Katy was wonderful, a real outdoors type, a good presenter and perfect for Blue Peter. She’d be awesome, I knew it. “Great” I said. “She’ll do really well”. I was disappointed, I can’t deny it. I started to feel like I could have got this and done well with it. I wasn’t sure what to do next. The best thing was to keep up the hard work. I knew that if I’d taken that news too hard and given in, I’d be letting myself down, it simply wasn’t an option. That gig just wasn’t for me.
“Oh, by the way” He said, still on the end of the phone. “They picked two from the 11, and you won too”.
“What” I said.
“You and Katy Tozer both won the competition, congratulations”. Caught in the moment, I told him to “F off”, which he wasn’t best pleased about; but we brushed past it and he told me to come and see him first thing for all the details. I didn’t quite know how to react. I told the family and they where obviously delighted, but I just wanted to get stuck in. It was a few weeks till we started recording and it couldn’t have come soon enough. Word got around that I’d won and it became talk of the school. A few magazines and the local papers covered it and I did a piece on the local BBC news programme as well as our local station Tower FM and some BBC radio stations. This was what I’d be working towards, and the best thing of all, people started to take me seriously. The fact that the BBC had faith in me started to change some people’s minds about the time I was putting in, and although I’d never set out just to impress people, I couldn’t help but find it pleasing.
The time to record came around and we headed down to London to Bush House. We’d record in two sections for two days and that would give them enough for the whole week. I arrived at the BBC building to a group of waiting producers, we went into the café where Katy was already waiting and talked over the days schedule before heading up to the studio. I never wanted it to end, I soaked up ever single moment of being there and it felt fantastic. I had no doubts now; this was what I wanted to do every day for the rest of my life.
It was yet another chapter that passed all too quickly. Before I knew it I was back on the breakfast show and the whole thing was over. But I couldn’t deny it was huge for me. If there was ever a defining moment, a lucky break, a turning point, what ever you want to call it, this was mine. Suddenly Darryl Morris was worth keeping an eye on; it went from being a bit of a hobby to a very serious career option. Soon after, I was at a convention with Ian Laycock promoting Rivi FM and our local ILR Tower FM was doing an Outside Broadcast. I knew I had to swoop, so to speak. The station manager was there to do a presentation and the afternoon presenter, Paul Fairclough, was doing his show live. Paul made his name in Bolton presenting the Breakfast show, he was well known and well respected within the industry and there he was in front of me doing a live show. I wanted desperately to get talking to either one of them, the fact we we’re promoting a radio station helped, they couldn’t avoid being interested in what we had to say, but I felt it was best if Ian went and spoke to them first. If he could open up the conversation then bring me in and introduce me, we were onto a winner. That happened smooth as you like and before I knew it, I was in full conversation with the station manager, a man called Dave Stankler and Paul Fairclough. We chatted radio stuff and my competition win came up, Paul decided it was a good idea to do an interview with me about it, live on air, I didn’t disagree. Dave was nearby and promptly gave me his card, he said to give him a few weeks then to get in touch and that he might have an opportunity I’d be interested in. YES YES YES! This was it, my first proper radio job. I thought back to the time I’d rang Tower FM for advice and was told not to be so silly, who was silly now? Two weeks passed like two years, I picked up the phone, and without a moments hesitation, called Dave Stankler. He was right, he did have an opportunity I was interested in…
To be continued…