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So You Want To Know About Me?

I was born in Nottingham Sept 17th 1963.

My Mum & Dad were Bakers, My Dad being Bakery Manager for Robert's Bread in Northwich. At an early age I wanted to join the Navy but then I discovered the "wonderful world of Radio" in particular, I became a fan of Emperor Rosko and later the Legand, Kenny Everett. This would be around 1976 the year of the hot summer, riding around South Manchester on my Chopper bike.

My broadcasting career began in 1982 working for a local hospital Radio Station at Wythenshawe Hospital, Fab Radio. Other Presenters who started there including my friend Ian Roberts, were Brent Williams and Karl Pilkington (whatever happened to him)?. Whilst at 'Fab' I also began presenting a Saturday Night show on a Pirate Radio in Stockport called, "KFM." (More about this station later).

At the time I was doing my Radio, I had a "proper" job working for Timpson's shoes in Wythenshawe, previous to this I had spent two years at Catering College achiving my City & Guilds 706.1 & 706.2 along with Alcoholic Beverages. (That would come in handy in later life).

In 1986 after quitting my job at Timpson's I got my first paid Radio shift! This was presenting the breakfast show on a station in Southern Ireland called 'Radio West'. The radio station was based above a domestic appliance shop owned by Mr Sean Coyne in Mullingar (no prizes for guessing which station the radio in the shop was tuned into). Later in the same year I was offered a job to work for the 'Voice of Peace' in a very sunny Israel. It was here that I made some great friends for life including the likes of Dave Shearer, Steve Silby, Mike Darby, Tim Scrimshaw and Chris Pearson.

I spent just under 6 months in sunny Israel and after returning in September 1986, my feet had hardly touched dry land and I was off again. Only this time to be part of one of the greatest Pirate Radio Station's in the world...Radio Caroline. I presented the mid morning show on board the Ross Revenge in the English Channel. Ronan O'Reilly the man who introduced the station in 1960's called me a 'sophisticated Northener'. In March 1987 I returned home to Manchester where I began working for Radio Top Shop (an in-store Radio Station) in Manchester and Liverpool. I also worked for Radio 3D located in the basement of Debenhams in Preston.

In January 1990, I was offered a job on the legalised 'KFM', which launched on 17th February, broadcasting live from studio's within Regent House, Stockport. I was the station's first breakfast show presenter and was part of the original line up with some people you may of heard of, such as Terry Christian, John Ronson, Craig Cash and Caroline Ahearne (Mrs Merton and The Royal Family). Caroline used to do a part of my show where she would do an impression of a celebrity mum and the listener had to work out who's Mother it was. The one that I remember the most was her impression of Mrs Geldof, "you know he never washes his hair or buy's new clothes".

Later, in 1991 I was approached by Mark Storey to go and present the Drive time show on Key 103 in Manchester, but after serious thought I decided to turn his offer down as I was having great fun working at KFM. (I'm glad I stayed around, as this is the year I met, Mrs Charles). KFM was later accquired by Signal Radio in Stock-On-Trent and I was then given the job as the evening show presenter across the whole of the Signal Radio Network. I could be heard from Manchester to Birmingham. "Rob on the Job" was the show's name. It was on the air after the Late Night Funster show with Paul Carrington, another great Radio Presenter.

In 1992 I left Signal Radio to join Rock FM in Preston to present the Breakfast show. In the later years I also presented the lunchtime show and the very popular mid -morning show where I increased the listening figures to a record high for the station. In 1998 I was asked to present the breakfast show on Rock FM's sister station 'Red Rose 999' along with Geoff Carter. It was great fun, Geoff and I increased the listening figures, again!. In August of that same year I was approached by my former boss at Red Rose Radio the brilliant John Myers to join a new station 'Century 105' which broadcast from Salford Quay's in Manchester, to the whole of the North West. I was given the Afternoon Show and introduced the North West to a the 'Bradshaws' (remember them)?. In 1999 I went on to present the Century Jukebox show where I once again increased it's listening figures.

Century Radio in 2000 was taken over by Capital Radio in London where they put me back on the Drive Time Show. It was in February 2002 that I took a break from radio and hung up my headphones work to with my former employer at Radio Top Shop in Manchester compiling and producing music tapes from various High street shops including, Thornton's, All-Sports and Etam.

Whilst working for Airplay in Sale, I help to set up a couple of Coffee shops called 'Blueberry's' (my catering experince came back to me). Then in 2003 a former collegue called Dave Asher asked me to re-join Magic 999 in Preston where I presented the Afternoon Show and then Breakfast for 6 years. This was, until my boss decided not to renew my contract and so was approached to join the new Radio Station for Preston, Leyland and Chorley, 'Central Radio'.