Open Air

So there I am working on BBC Radio Manchester in 1986 and on the television is one of the best programmes ever – Open Air.

Open Air is presented by Eammon Holmes, and Patty Coldwell, two of the finest broadcasters ever. Over the years there were many other presenters including Bob Wellings and Janet Ellis.

In the phone room is legendary Radio Manchester presenter, Natalie Anglesey.

The programme looked back at the previous night’s television programmes and also previewed forthcoming programmes.

Having been renowned for complaining about the lack of black people on British television I decided to write to the programme to complain about the situation as I thought they could do a feature on it.

I received a reply from their phone-in presenter Natalie Anglesey telling me that because they only covered things that had been on television they could not do anything about it.

I’m afraid that this was like a red rag to a bull and I decided to write to the Editor of the Programme – Peter Weil. I suggested that it was quite ironic that his programme could not do anything about the lack of black people on television because there were no black people on television.

He got the message and decided that they would do a feature about it and he wanted me to be a guest on the programme. I said that I would only debate the subject with the then Controller of BBC 1 Television – Michael Grade.

I was told that it was very unlikely that he would do it so I said that neither would I.

Some days later the message came back that Michael Grade had said yes and I agreed to take part in the programme. The discussion was hosted by Patti Coldwell and Michael Grade and I were both in the studio with her. (Yes he did have red socks on). I’m afraid I did give them a pretty torrid time and on more than one occasion Patti had to come to the defence of Michael Grade.

The interview ended and I thought that was that.

I was making my way back to the BBC Radio Manchester studios just down the corridor when I bumped into the Editor, Peter Weil. He said he thought I handled myself really well and that if there ever was an opening he would get in touch with me. I said “thanks”. (I thought, of course you will).

To my amazement some weeks later I got a message from him saying they were looking for some researchers and that I should apply. I duly did and got invited in for an interview. There were three people on the interviewing panel but the only one I can remember is Eamonn Holmes.

Now I knew of Eamonn even before he came to work in England. He was fairly massive in Northern Ireland and had appeared on a daytime television programme on Granada Television in the North West of England. They were interviewing an established broadcaster and a newcomer. I do not remember who the established broadcaster was but Eamonn was the newcomer and he was awesome. There was no doubt in my mind that he was going to be huge on this side of the water.

When he got the job presenting open Air it was no surprise to me.

The first question I was asked was this, Why do you want to be a researcher? My answer was unequivocal, “I do not want to be a researcher, I want to be a presenter.” I think they were kind of taken aback by my forthrightness. Within hours of the interview Peter Weil called me to tell me that he wanted me to take a screen test to be a phone-room presenter on the programme.

That went very well and I was offered a position on the programme.

It was a wonderful time for me. A national television presenter on BBC 1. I had loved the programme since it first came on, I loved the presenters Eamonn and Patti and I was working with Natalie. All of this and a cheque at the end of the month WOW!

During my second year I also got the opportunity to co-present some of the programmes. I met so many stars that it would be impossible to list them all.

I remember saying to Robert Powell that it was good to meet the man who was number 1 in my wife’s life. I remember asking Barry Norman, then presenter of Film 87 (?) how he managed to use an autocue with such expertise that it seemed as if there was no autocue. He gave me some invaluable advice. I use it to this day

In the end, I did two glorious years on Open Air. At the end of my second year, the then Editor of the programme Sue Woodward offered me a contract for the coming year but I had to turn it down.

Why I hear you say!

Well we had been agitating for some years to persuade the Government to establish Community Radio in this country. After many years it was going to happen. We had won the licence for a station in Manchester. It was going to be called Sunset Radio. I was going to be Managing Director and breakfast presenter.

I had had a great time at BBC Radio Manchester and at Open Air but it was now time to go on to pastures new.