Alan Dedicoat
Encyclopedia
Alan Dedicoat is an announcer and on various programmes on BBC One and BBC Radio 2; he is probably best known as the "Voice of the Balls" on the National Lottery
programmes
on BBC One
. He also reads the news on BBC Radio 2
where he is nicknamed Deadly.
. The son of a newsagent
, Dedicoat was educated at King Edward VI Camp Hill for Boys
in Birmingham
, and the University of Birmingham
. Dedicoat originally worked in the Civil Service
as an Executive Officer before joining the BBC
in 1979 as part of BBC Radio Birmingham at Pebble Mill as a presenter, before moving to BBC Radio Devon
four years later. After four years in the West Country, Alan moved to London to join the Presentation Department of BBC Radio 2
at Broadcasting House
, and later became its head, a position he holds to this day. As part of this, he read the news on BBC Radio 2
's weekday breakfast programme, Wake Up to Wogan
, before its demise in December 2009, as well as on Sarah Kennedy
's show before she left the station in 2010.
It was as part of Wake up to Wogan that Dedicoat acquired the nicknames "Voice of the Balls" and "Deadly" from Terry Wogan
, the latter by way of a deliberate Spoonerism
- "Deadly Alancoat".
On television, as well as being the "Voice of the Balls" on the National Lottery
programmes
on BBC One
, he also takes part in the BBC
's telethons such as Children in Need
, announcing the totals at certain intervals and also voicing previews. In addition, he is the voice-over on Strictly Come Dancing
on BBC One
.
Since 2005, Dedicoat has been the voice-over for Dancing with the Stars
, the American version of Strictly Come Dancing.
Dedicoat also works as an After Dinner Speaker
.
(one of London
's famous red buses) with Charles Nove
, Ken Bruce
, Steve Madden and David Sheppard
.
He is also the President of Hospital Radio Bedside, a hospital radio station that broadcasts to hospitals in Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and Wimborne in the UK.
Dedicoat lives in Wealdstone.
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
programmes
The National Lottery Draws
The National Lottery Draws is the name of the Television programme involving the drawing of the National Lottery in the United Kingdom. The programme is shown on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and it is usually Shown on BBC One.-Saturday Night Draws:The Saturday night draws are usually shown as...
on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
. He also reads the news on 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...
where he is nicknamed Deadly.
Early Life
He was born on 1 December 1954 in Hollywood, WorcestershireWorcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
. The son of a newsagent
Newsagent
A newsagent's shop , newsagency or newsstand is a business that sells newspapers, magazines, cigarettes, snacks and often items of local interest. In Britain and Australia, these businesses are termed newsagents...
, Dedicoat was educated at King Edward VI Camp Hill for Boys
King Edward VI Camp Hill
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys is a grammar school in Kings Heath, Birmingham for ages of 11 to 18 . One of the seven establishments of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI, it is a voluntary aided school, with admission by selective exam...
in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, and the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
. Dedicoat originally worked in the Civil Service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
as an Executive Officer 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...
Career
Dedicoat joined the BBCBBC
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 1979 as part of BBC Radio Birmingham at Pebble Mill as a presenter, before moving to BBC Radio Devon
BBC Radio Devon
BBC Radio Devon is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Devon. It began transmissions on 17 January 1983, replacing a previous breakfast show for Devon and Cornwall broadcast on the local frequencies of Radio 4....
four years later. After four years in the West Country, Alan moved to London to join the Presentation Department 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...
at Broadcasting House
Broadcasting House
Broadcasting House is the headquarters and registered office of the BBC in Portland Place and Langham Place, London.The building includes the BBC Radio Theatre from where music and speech programmes are recorded in front of a studio audience...
, and later became its head, a position he holds to this day. As part of this, he read the news on 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 weekday breakfast programme, Wake Up to Wogan
Wake Up to Wogan
Wake Up to Wogan was the most listened to radio show in the United Kingdom and the flagship breakfast programme broadcast on BBC Radio 2. The show was presented by Sir Terry Wogan who fronted WUTW from 4 January 1993; he had previously presented the breakfast show between 1972 and 1984, but the...
, before its demise in December 2009, as well as on Sarah Kennedy
Sarah Kennedy
Sarah Mary Kennedy MBE is a British TV and radio broadcaster. She presented her own daily early morning radio show, The Dawn Patrol, on BBC Radio 2 from 1993, before announcing her decision to leave the show on 3 September, 2010.Kennedy was honoured in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2005, when...
's show before she left the station in 2010.
It was as part of Wake up to Wogan that Dedicoat acquired the nicknames "Voice of the Balls" and "Deadly" from Terry Wogan
Terry Wogan
Sir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE, DL , or also known as Terry Wogan, is a veteran Irish radio and television broadcaster who holds dual Irish and British citizenship. Wogan has worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom for most of his career...
, the latter by way of a deliberate Spoonerism
Spoonerism
A spoonerism is an error in speech or deliberate play on words in which corresponding consonants, vowels, or morphemes are switched . It is named after the Reverend William Archibald Spooner , Warden of New College, Oxford, who was notoriously prone to this tendency...
- "Deadly Alancoat".
On television, as well as being the "Voice of the Balls" on the National Lottery
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
programmes
The National Lottery Draws
The National Lottery Draws is the name of the Television programme involving the drawing of the National Lottery in the United Kingdom. The programme is shown on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and it is usually Shown on BBC One.-Saturday Night Draws:The Saturday night draws are usually shown as...
on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
, he also takes part in 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 telethons such as Children in Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
, announcing the totals at certain intervals and also voicing previews. In addition, he is the voice-over on Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
.
Since 2005, Dedicoat has been the voice-over for Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars (US TV series)
Dancing with the Stars is a reality show airing on ABC in the United States, and CTV in Canada in 2011. The show is the American version of the British BBC television series Strictly Come Dancing...
, the American version of Strictly Come Dancing.
Dedicoat also works as an After Dinner Speaker
Public speaking
Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners...
.
Personal life
He is the co-owner of a RoutemasterRoutemaster
The AEC Routemaster is a model of double-decker bus that was built by Associated Equipment Company in 1954 and produced until 1968. Primarily front-engined, rear open-platform buses, a small number of variants were produced with doors and/or front entrances...
(one of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's famous red buses) with Charles Nove
Charles Nove
Charles Alexis Nove born in London, is a long standing news and continuity voiceover announcer for BBC radio and television. In recent years he has provided holiday relief for BBC Radio 2 and what used to be Saga Radio in Scotland, and following John Marsh's retirement in February 2007 he became...
, Ken Bruce
Ken Bruce
Kenneth Robertson Bruce is a British broadcaster known for his programme on BBC Radio 2, which is broadcast on weekdays from 9:30am until 12 noon.-Early life and career:...
, Steve Madden and David Sheppard
David Sheppard (broadcaster)
David Thomas Sheppard is a presenter on BBC Local Radio.He is currently to be heard broadcasting on BBC Radio Devon's 'Shep and Jo Show' with Jo Loosemore each weekday afternoon 3 till 7.- Early life and career :...
.
He is also the President of Hospital Radio Bedside, a hospital radio station that broadcasts to hospitals in Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and Wimborne in the UK.
Dedicoat lives in Wealdstone.