Derek Jameson
Encyclopedia
Derek Jameson is a retired British tabloid journalist and broadcaster.
As a child, Jameson was evacuated from London
in WW2. His career began in Fleet Street
, as a messenger boy, before becoming managing editor of the Daily Mirror newspaper and editor of the Daily Express
, Daily Star and News of the World
.
He joined BBC Radio 2
in late 1985, sitting in for Jimmy Young
, before taking over the breakfast show from Ken Bruce
in March 1986, presenting it until December 1991. He then hosted the Monday to Thursday late-night show, along with his wife Ellen, until March 1997.
In 1988 he began presenting the BBC1 television show People
. He was replaced in the second series by Chris Serle
, Lucy Pilkington, Jenni Barnett and Frank Bruno
.
Now retired from broadcasting, Jameson wrote a weekly column in the Brighton Argus
until October 2000, and is an after-dinner speaker.
to refer to him as Sid Yobbo. In 1980 Jameson brought an action against the BBC
over a sketch in the Radio 4
programme Week Ending
which described him as an "East End boy made bad": Jameson lost the action when it came to court in 1984. The jury found the broadcast defamatory, but also fair comment and Jameson had to pay costs. After it was said on Radio 4 that Jameson was "so ignorant he thought erudite was a type of glue
", he sued.
In 2010 he took part in BBC's The Young Ones, in which six celebrities in their 70s and 80s attempt to overcome some of the problems of ageing by harking back to the 1970s.
As a child, Jameson was evacuated from 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...
in WW2. His career began in Fleet Street
Fleet Street
Fleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
, as a messenger boy, before becoming managing editor of the Daily Mirror newspaper and editor of the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
, Daily Star and News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
.
He joined 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...
in late 1985, sitting in for Jimmy Young
Jimmy Young (disc jockey)
Sir Jimmy Young CBE was a British singer, disc jockey and radio interviewer.-Early life:...
, before taking over the breakfast show from 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:...
in March 1986, presenting it until December 1991. He then hosted the Monday to Thursday late-night show, along with his wife Ellen, until March 1997.
In 1988 he began presenting the BBC1 television show People
People (TV series)
People is a Canadian documentary television series which aired on CBC Television in 1955.-Premise:Topics featured in this series included neighbourhood life in Toronto's Chinatown and Rosedale areas, Montreal's Saint Joseph's Oratory, the development of the Saint Lawrence Seaway and a Toronto...
. He was replaced in the second series by Chris Serle
Chris Serle
Christopher "Chris" Richard Serle is a former BBC TV presenter, reporter and actor. Serle was educated at Clifton College and Trinity College, Dublin, where he studied modern languages...
, Lucy Pilkington, Jenni Barnett and Frank Bruno
Frank Bruno
Franklin Roy Bruno MBE is an English former boxer whose career highlight was winning the WBC Heavyweight championship in 1995. Altogether, he won 40 of his 45 contests...
.
Now retired from broadcasting, Jameson wrote a weekly column in the Brighton Argus
The Argus (Brighton)
The Argus is a local newspaper based in Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, with editions serving the city of Brighton and Hove and the other parts of both East and West Sussex.-History:...
until October 2000, and is an after-dinner speaker.
Portrayals
Jameson's cockney accent and abrasive persona caused Private EyePrivate Eye
Private Eye is a fortnightly British satirical and current affairs magazine, edited by Ian Hislop.Since its first publication in 1961, Private Eye has been a prominent critic and lampooner of public figures and entities that it deemed guilty of any of the sins of incompetence, inefficiency,...
to refer to him as Sid Yobbo. In 1980 Jameson brought an action against 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...
over a sketch in the Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
programme Week Ending
Week Ending
Week Ending... was a satirical radio current affairs sketch show, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4, usually on Friday evenings. It was devised by writer/producers Simon Brett and David Hatch, and was originally hosted by Nationwide presenter Michael Barratt.The show's title was always announced as...
which described him as an "East End boy made bad": Jameson lost the action when it came to court in 1984. The jury found the broadcast defamatory, but also fair comment and Jameson had to pay costs. After it was said on Radio 4 that Jameson was "so ignorant he thought erudite was a type of glue
Araldite
Araldite is a registered trademark of Huntsman Advanced Materials referring to their range of engineering and structural epoxy, acrylic, and polyurethane adhesives. The name was first used in 1946 for a two-part epoxy adhesive....
", he sued.
In 2010 he took part in BBC's The Young Ones, in which six celebrities in their 70s and 80s attempt to overcome some of the problems of ageing by harking back to the 1970s.