Bob Harris (radio)
Encyclopedia
Robert Brinley Joseph "Bob" Harris, OBE (born 11 April 1946), known as "Whispering" Bob Harris, is British radio host who currently works for BBC Radio 2
, presenting music two nights a week. His programmes feature a moderately eclectic blend of mostly American and British rock
, country
, and occasional folk music
from the 1950s to the present.
, England
, Harris first followed in his father's footsteps and joined the police force as a cadet for two years. He then helped found Time Out magazine, as co-editor. Years later, he still refers to himself as "a journalist who can broadcast".
He began at BBC Radio 1
in 1970 where he hosted Sounds of the 70s until 1975. Sounds of the 70s was initially an hour long, broadcasting from 6 to 7pm on Monday evenings. The next year, it was expanded to two hours and moved to 10pm to midnight, still on Mondays. In January 1975, the show was axed due to BBC
cutbacks.
Harris then went on to present shows for Radio Luxembourg
in 1975–77. In 1977, he joined Radio 210, firstly presenting a Saturday afternoon sports show. He then presented many shows at the weekend, such as Friday nights from 9pm-from and Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-2pm and 9pm-1am. He left the station for a few months in 1978 due to ill health, but came back in 1979 to present a Friday evening Rock Show from 9pm-1am and Weekend afternoons from 12-4pm. He was also head of music and presentation.
He also presented The Old Grey Whistle Test rock music
show on BBC
television from 1971 until 1978. His first appearance on the show was as chair of a debate on the Night Assemblies Bill, based on his experience as a journalist and at the invitation of producer Richard Williams
. Shortly afterwards he was invited to be the main presenter. His velvety voice and quiet delivery earned him his enduring nickname. His hippie
-style beard and laid-back presentation made him a favourite target for parody
, most notably by Eric Idle
on the 1970s BBC comedy show Rutland Weekend Television
.
, presenting the weekday afternoon show 3-5pm taking over from Timmy Mallett
. Bob remained there until 1984. He then joined London's LBC
Radio Station, presenting a weekly half hour music review & also joined GWR
, where he did shows on Saturday lunchtimes and Sunday afternoons.
In 1985, Harris was heard on Norwich
's Hereward Broadland
, presenting a Saturday evening show, and on a Sunday afternoon show on Hereward FM
in Peterborough
. At the same time he was still continuing with his half-hour music review on LBC
and was recording shows for GWR
.
In 1986, he was offered the Weekend Nightline phone-in on LBC
every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 10pm-1am, which he hosted until 1989.
He was heard on BFBS
from 1986 to 1998 and on the UK Commercial Radio sustaining service, The Superstation
.
in 1989, standing in for Richard Skinner
for two weeks on the weekday 12–2am slot, before being offered his own weekly show on Sunday nights from 11pm to 2am later that year following the death of Roger Scott
. Harris then took over the weekday 12–2am slot from April 1990, which then became 12–4am when Radio 1 started broadcasting 24 hours a day on 1 May 1991.
Harris was credited as the inspiration for The Fast Show
character Louis Balfour whose catchphrase "nice!" delivered in close up to camera followed universally dreadful modern jazz acts. This closely mirrors Harris' trademark laconic enthusiasm on both Whistle Test
and his radio shows.
. Lynn Parsons
took over his 12–4am slot, but Harris continued to do the occasional documentary for the network for some time afterwards.
In the summer of 1994, Harris ended up at BBC GLR, presenting a three-hour Saturday night show from 10pm to 1am, then additionally on Monday to Wednesday evenings from 8pm to midnight. He later left the Saturday night show to concentrate on the Monday-to-Wednesday evening shows.
, where he took up a 11pm–1am Saturday night slot. He still continued to present on GLR, but at this stage he quit the Monday-to-Wednesday evening shows and presented a Saturday afternoon show from 2 to 6pm.
Harris eventually quit GLR in late 1998 as he took over another show for Radio 2, Bob Harris Country, (previously David Allan
's Country Club) on Thursday evenings from 7 to 8pm, and his Saturday night show then went out from 10pm to 1am. From April 2006, his Saturday show moved to an 11pm-2am slot, and moved back another hour from 4 April 2010, meaning it will air early Sunday mornings from midnight-3.00am.
, presenting a Sunday-evening show from 5 to 8pm. He left 6 Music in 2004 to present another show on Radio 2, which broadcast on Friday nights/Saturday mornings from midnight to 3am. He was replaced in this slot by Mark Lamarr
, but returned to it temporarily, when Lamarr left the BBC at the end of 2010. The end of the Friday show has allowed Bob to concentrate more on producing one-off shows like the 'Maple Leaf Revolution' under the auspices of the Whispering Bob Broadcasting Company.
Harris was heard covering for Chris Evans on Drivetime BBC Radio 2
over the festive holiday 2007/2008 and 2008/2009.
and would be taking a break for a few months. He started broadcasting the Country programme again in November and the Saturday Programme on 1 December.
Sony Radio Academy Awards 2009 - Silver for 'The Sandy Denny Story:Who Knows Where The Time Goes'
Sony Radio Academy Awards 2008 - Silver for 'The Day John Met Paul'
CMA International Broadcaster of the Year 2004
Harris was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours
for services to music broadcasting.
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...
, presenting music two nights a week. His programmes feature a moderately eclectic blend of mostly American and British rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, and occasional folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
from the 1950s to the present.
Early career
Born in NorthamptonNorthampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Harris first followed in his father's footsteps and joined the police force as a cadet for two years. He then helped found Time Out magazine, as co-editor. Years later, he still refers to himself as "a journalist who can broadcast".
He began at BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
in 1970 where he hosted Sounds of the 70s until 1975. Sounds of the 70s was initially an hour long, broadcasting from 6 to 7pm on Monday evenings. The next year, it was expanded to two hours and moved to 10pm to midnight, still on Mondays. In January 1975, the show was axed due to 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...
cutbacks.
Harris then went on to present shows for Radio Luxembourg
Radio Luxembourg (English)
Radio Luxembourg is a commercial broadcaster in many languages from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is nowadays known in most non-English languages as RTL ....
in 1975–77. In 1977, he joined Radio 210, firstly presenting a Saturday afternoon sports show. He then presented many shows at the weekend, such as Friday nights from 9pm-from and Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-2pm and 9pm-1am. He left the station for a few months in 1978 due to ill health, but came back in 1979 to present a Friday evening Rock Show from 9pm-1am and Weekend afternoons from 12-4pm. He was also head of music and presentation.
He also presented The Old Grey Whistle Test rock music
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
show on 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...
television from 1971 until 1978. His first appearance on the show was as chair of a debate on the Night Assemblies Bill, based on his experience as a journalist and at the invitation of producer Richard Williams
Richard Williams (journalist)
Richard Williams is a British music and sports journalist.As a writer, then deputy editor, of the weekly rock magazine Melody Maker, he became an influential commentator on the rise of new forms of rock music at the end of the 1960s. Williams and MM, as it was known, helped to promote and...
. Shortly afterwards he was invited to be the main presenter. His velvety voice and quiet delivery earned him his enduring nickname. His hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
-style beard and laid-back presentation made him a favourite target for parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
, most notably by Eric Idle
Eric Idle
Eric Idle is an English comedian, actor, author, singer, writer, and comedic composer. He was as a member of the British comedy group Monty Python, a member of the The Rutles on Saturday Night Live and author of the play, Spamalot....
on the 1970s BBC comedy show Rutland Weekend Television
Rutland Weekend Television
Rutland Weekend Television was a television sketch show on BBC2, written by Eric Idle with music by Neil Innes. Two series, the first consisting of six episodes, the second of seven, were broadcast, in 1975 and 1976. A Christmas special also aired on Boxing Day 1975.It was Idle's first television...
.
1980s
1981 saw Harris move to BBC Radio OxfordBBC Radio Oxford
BBC Radio Oxford is the BBC Local Radio station for the English county of Oxfordshire, broadcasting on 95.2 FM via the Oxford transmitter and online. The station broadcasts live from the BBC's Summertown studios in Oxford between 5am and 7pm each weekday, for over 13 hours on Saturdays & 19 hours...
, presenting the weekday afternoon show 3-5pm taking over from Timmy Mallett
Timmy Mallett
Timmy Mallett is a TV presenter and broadcaster in the UK. He achieved cult status on BBC Radio Oxford and Manchester's Piccadilly Radio and later on TV-am...
. Bob remained there until 1984. He then joined London's LBC
LBC
LBC Radio operates two London-based radio stations, with news and talk formats. LBC was Britain's first legal commercial Independent Local Radio station, providing a service of news and information to London. It began broadcasting on 8 October 1973, a week ahead of Capital Radio...
Radio Station, presenting a weekly half hour music review & also joined GWR
GWR FM
GWR FM was a network of three radio stations in the south west of England. All three stations were rebranded and joined the Heart Network on 23 March 2009.*GWR FM Bristol - now Heart Bristol - was launched in 1981 as Radio West, it relaunched as GWR in 1985....
, where he did shows on Saturday lunchtimes and Sunday afternoons.
In 1985, Harris was heard on Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
's Hereward Broadland
Broadland
Broadland is a local government district in Norfolk, England, named after the Norfolk Broads. Its council is based in Thorpe St Andrew, which is a suburb of the City of Norwich.-History:The district was formed on April 1, 1974 by the merger of St...
, presenting a Saturday evening show, and on a Sunday afternoon show on Hereward FM
Hereward FM
102.7 Heart Peterborough was an Independent Local Radio station for Peterborough, Boston, King's Lynn, Cambridgeshire, south Lincolnshire and west Norfolk...
in Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
. At the same time he was still continuing with his half-hour music review on LBC
LBC
LBC Radio operates two London-based radio stations, with news and talk formats. LBC was Britain's first legal commercial Independent Local Radio station, providing a service of news and information to London. It began broadcasting on 8 October 1973, a week ahead of Capital Radio...
and was recording shows for GWR
GWR FM
GWR FM was a network of three radio stations in the south west of England. All three stations were rebranded and joined the Heart Network on 23 March 2009.*GWR FM Bristol - now Heart Bristol - was launched in 1981 as Radio West, it relaunched as GWR in 1985....
.
In 1986, he was offered the Weekend Nightline phone-in on LBC
LBC
LBC Radio operates two London-based radio stations, with news and talk formats. LBC was Britain's first legal commercial Independent Local Radio station, providing a service of news and information to London. It began broadcasting on 8 October 1973, a week ahead of Capital Radio...
every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 10pm-1am, which he hosted until 1989.
He was heard on BFBS
British Forces Broadcasting Service
The British Forces Broadcasting Service provides radio and television programmes for HM Forces, and their dependents, in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, the Falkland Islands, Germany, Gibraltar, Kosovo, the Middle East, Northern Ireland and Tristan da Cunha as well as a live satellite...
from 1986 to 1998 and on the UK Commercial Radio sustaining service, The Superstation
The Superstation
The Superstation was set up as an over-night sustaining service for Independent Local Radio...
.
Return to Radio 1
Harris rejoined BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
in 1989, standing in for Richard Skinner
Richard Skinner (broadcaster)
Richard Skinner is a British radio and television broadcaster.He is the only presenter to have fronted the three BBC 'flagship' pop music programmes Whistle Test, Top of the Pops and Top 40 show. -Early career:...
for two weeks on the weekday 12–2am slot, before being offered his own weekly show on Sunday nights from 11pm to 2am later that year following the death of Roger Scott
Roger Scott
Roger Scott was a British radio disc jockey. He was best known for presenting an afternoon radio show on London's Capital Radio from 1973 until 1988....
. Harris then took over the weekday 12–2am slot from April 1990, which then became 12–4am when Radio 1 started broadcasting 24 hours a day on 1 May 1991.
Harris was credited as the inspiration for The Fast Show
The Fast Show
The Fast Show, known as Brilliant in the US, was a BBC comedy sketch show programme that ran for three series from 1994 to 1997 with a special Last Fast Show Ever in 2000. The show's central performers were Paul Whitehouse, Charlie Higson, Simon Day, Mark Williams, John Thomson, Arabella Weir and...
character Louis Balfour whose catchphrase "nice!" delivered in close up to camera followed universally dreadful modern jazz acts. This closely mirrors Harris' trademark laconic enthusiasm on both Whistle Test
Old Grey Whistle Test
The Old Grey Whistle Test was an influential BBC2 television music show that ran from 1971 to 1987. It took over the BBC2 late night slot from "Disco Two", which had been running since January 1970, while continuing to feature non-chart music. It was devised by BBC producer Rowan Ayers...
and his radio shows.
Move to GLR
Harris left Radio 1 in October 1993 as he, along with many other Radio 1 DJs, was felt not to fit in with the changes being made by new controller Matthew BannisterMatthew Bannister
Richard Matthew Bannister is a British media executive and broadcaster. After attending King Edward VII School , he graduated in law at the University of Nottingham in 1978, and joined BBC Radio Nottingham as a trainee reporter and subsequently the presenter of its speech-based breakfast show,...
. Lynn Parsons
Lynn Parsons
Lynn Margaret Parsons is a British disc jockey and currently presents Weekends 10am - 2pm on UK radio station Smooth Radio and various shows on for BBC Radio 2.-Career:...
took over his 12–4am slot, but Harris continued to do the occasional documentary for the network for some time afterwards.
In the summer of 1994, Harris ended up at BBC GLR, presenting a three-hour Saturday night show from 10pm to 1am, then additionally on Monday to Wednesday evenings from 8pm to midnight. He later left the Saturday night show to concentrate on the Monday-to-Wednesday evening shows.
Return to national radio
In spring 1997, Harris returned to the national airwaves, this time on BBC Radio 2BBC 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 took up a 11pm–1am Saturday night slot. He still continued to present on GLR, but at this stage he quit the Monday-to-Wednesday evening shows and presented a Saturday afternoon show from 2 to 6pm.
Harris eventually quit GLR in late 1998 as he took over another show for Radio 2, Bob Harris Country, (previously David Allan
David Allan (broadcaster)
David Allan is a British television continuity announcer and radio presenter.-Radio career:...
's Country Club) on Thursday evenings from 7 to 8pm, and his Saturday night show then went out from 10pm to 1am. From April 2006, his Saturday show moved to an 11pm-2am slot, and moved back another hour from 4 April 2010, meaning it will air early Sunday mornings from midnight-3.00am.
Current work
In addition to his Radio 2 programmes, in 2002 Harris became an original presenter on the newly-launched digital station BBC 6 MusicBBC 6 Music
BBC 6 Music is one of the BBC's digital radio stations, was launched on 11 March 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It was the first national music radio station to be launched by the BBC in 32 years....
, presenting a Sunday-evening show from 5 to 8pm. He left 6 Music in 2004 to present another show on Radio 2, which broadcast on Friday nights/Saturday mornings from midnight to 3am. He was replaced in this slot by Mark Lamarr
Mark Lamarr
Mark Lamarr is an English comedian, radio DJ and television presenter.-Early life:Lamarr was born in the Park South area of Swindon and has three elder sisters. His father is Irish...
, but returned to it temporarily, when Lamarr left the BBC at the end of 2010. The end of the Friday show has allowed Bob to concentrate more on producing one-off shows like the 'Maple Leaf Revolution' under the auspices of the Whispering Bob Broadcasting Company.
Harris was heard covering for Chris Evans on Drivetime 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...
over the festive holiday 2007/2008 and 2008/2009.
Leave due to illness
During his broadcast on 4 August 2007, Harris announced he had prostate cancerProstate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
and would be taking a break for a few months. He started broadcasting the Country programme again in November and the Saturday Programme on 1 December.
Awards
Honorary Fellowship from the School of The Arts, Northampton UniversitySony Radio Academy Awards 2009 - Silver for 'The Sandy Denny Story:Who Knows Where The Time Goes'
Sony Radio Academy Awards 2008 - Silver for 'The Day John Met Paul'
CMA International Broadcaster of the Year 2004
Harris was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours
2011 Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours 2011 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 7 June 2011 in New Zealand and 11 June 2011 in United Kingdom to celebrate the Queen's Birthday of 2011.-Privy Councillors:...
for services to music broadcasting.