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Bob Harris in 1975

"Whispering" Bob Harris (born Robert Brinley Harris in Northampton, England on 11 April 1946) is a 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. His on-air delivery suggests a deep enthusiasm and affection for the music and musicians featured on his shows. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Northampton is a large market town and a local government district in the English East Midlands region. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... is the 101st day of the year (102nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBCs national radio stations and is by far the most popular station in the UK, reaching some 27% of the available audience in 2006[1]. It broadcasts throughout the UK on FM radio between 88 and 91 MHz from its studios in... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... country music, see Country music (disambiguation) Country music, the first half of Billboards country and western music category, is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. ... Folk song redirects here. ...

Harris was credited as the inspiration for The Fast Show character Louis Balfour, whose catchprase "nice!" delivered in close up to camera preceded universally dreadful modern jazz acts. This closely mirrors Harris' trademark laconic enthusiasm on both Whistle Test and his radio shows. The Fast Show is a BBC comedy sketch show programme that ran for four series from 1994 to 2000. ...

Early career

Bob Harris first followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Police Force as a cadet for two years. He was then involved in journalism at Time Out magazine. Time-out can mean: sport time-out, a break in play that may be called by a side to formulate strategy or respond to an players injury. ...

He began at BBC Radio 1 in 1970 where he hosted Sounds of the 70s until 1974. He also presented The Old Grey Whistle Test rock music show on BBC television from 1971 until 1978. 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. BBC Radio 1 (commonly referred to as just Radio 1) is a British national radio station operated by the BBC, specialising in popular music and speech and is aimed primarily at the 14-29[1] age group. ... The Old Grey Whistle Test was an influential BBC television music show that ran from September 1971 until 1987. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Singer of a modern Hippie movement in Russia The hippie subculture was a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread around the world. ... In contemporary usage, a parody (or lampoon) is a work that imitates another work in order to ridicule, ironically comment on, or poke some affectionate fun at the work itself, the subject of the work, the author or fictional voice of the parody, or another subject. ... Eric Idle (born March 29, 1943) is an English comedian, actor, author and composer of comedic songs. ... RWT logo. ...

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 December 1974, the show was axed due to BBC cutbacks. For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ...

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-1am & Saturdays & Sundays from 10am-2pm & 9pm-1am. He left the station for a few months throughout 1978 due to ill health, but came back in 1979 to present a Friday evening Rock Show from 9pm-1am & Weekend afternoons from 12-4pm. He was also head of music and presentation. Radio Luxembourg (1933-1992, 2005-)was an important forerunner of pirate radio and modern commercial radio in Europe. ...

1980s

1981 saw Harris move to BBC Radio Oxford, presenting the weekday afternoon show 3-5pm taking over from Timmy Mallett. Bob remained here 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. BBC Radio Oxford is a BBC Local Radio station, which opened on October 29, 1970. ... Timmy Mallett and Pinky Punky Timmy Mallett (born 18 October 1955 , Marple, Cheshire, England) is a TV presenter and broadcaster who achieved cult status in the UK on Manchesters Piccadilly Radio and then later on TV-am. ... LBC Radio (originally the London Broadcasting Company) operates two London-based radio stations, with news and talk formats. ... GWR FM refers to three radio stations in the south west of England. ...

In 1985 Bob was heard on Norwich's Radio 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. Radio Broadland (formerly Broadland 102) is part of the GCap Media national radio network. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... LBC Radio (originally the London Broadcasting Company) operates two London-based radio stations, with news and talk formats. ... GWR FM refers to three radio stations in the south west of England. ...

In 1986 he was then offered the Weekend Nightline phone-in on LBC every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 10pm-1am, which he hosted until 1989 LBC Radio (originally the London Broadcasting Company) operates two London-based radio stations, with news and talk formats. ...

He was also heard on BFBS from 1986 to 1998. The British Forces Broadcasting Service was established by the British War Office (now Ministry of Defence) in 1943, and today provides radio and television programming for HM Forces, and their dependents worldwide, in Germany, Cyprus, Belize, Canada, Bosnia, Kosovo and the Middle East. ...

Return to Radio 1

He rejoined BBC Radio 1 in late 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 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. BBC Radio 1 (commonly referred to as just Radio 1) is a British national radio station operated by the BBC, specialising in popular music and speech and is aimed primarily at the 14-29[1] age group. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... Richard Skinner (born 1951) is a British radio broadcaster, who grew up in Portsmouth where he began his career as a newspaper journalist. ... Born in the UK in 1943, former merchant seaman Roger Scott began his broadcasting career at WPTR, Albany, NY, USA, in April 1966. ... is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ...

Move to GLR

Harris then left Radio 1 in October 1993 as he, along with many other Radio 1 DJs, didn't fit in with the changes being made by new controller Matthew Bannister. Lynn Parsons took over his 12–4am slot, but Harris continued to do the occasional documentary for the network for some time afterward. Matthew Bannister is a British radio administrator and broadcaster. ... Lynn Parsons has an OND in electronic principles and started her career working in the television industry as a sound engineer and then a vision mixer. ...

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. BBC London 94. ...

Return to national radio

Spring 1997 saw Harris return to the national airwaves, this time on BBC Radio 2, 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. BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBCs national radio stations and is by far the most popular station in the UK, reaching some 27% of the available audience in 2006[1]. It broadcasts throughout the UK on FM radio between 88 and 91 MHz from its studios in...

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. David Allan (born 1940) is a British television announcer and radio presenter. ...

Current work

In addition to his Radio 2 programmes, in 2002 Harris became an original presenter on the newly launched digital station BBC 6 Music, presenting a Sunday-evening show from 5 to 8pm. He left 6 Music in 2004 to present another show on Radio 2, which broadcasts on Friday nights/Saturday mornings from midnight to 3am. Bob has recently finished up doing that show, and Mark Lamarr now presents. 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. His Saturday show now goes out from 11pm-2am. BBC 6 Music is one of the BBCs newest radio stations, launched on March 11, 2002 and originally codenamed Network Y. It is only available via digital media - DAB radio, the Internet and the various forms of digital television. ... Mark Lamarr (born Mark Jones on January 7, 1967 in Swindon, Wiltshire) is an English comedian and a presenter on radio and television. ...

Leave due to Illness

During his broadcast on Saturday 28th July 2007, Bob announced he has prostate cancer and will take a break for a few months. His last Saturday show for now was on 4th August 2007. He continues to present his country music show on Thursday evenings on Radio 2. Prostate cancer is a disease in which cancer develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. ...

External links

• BBC Radio 2: Bob Harris
• Bob Harris's official website
• The Whispering Bob Broadcasting Company