Back in 2002 during the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, I was working at BBC 2002 Commonwealth Games Radio. I got a phone call from the Manager of BBC GMR asking if I was available to present their Sunday Breakfast programme as holiday cover. That was the start of a relationship which has now lasted over 10 years and continues to go from strength to strength.

Back in 2002 during the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, I was working at BBC 2002 Commonwealth Games Radio. I got a phone call from the Manager of BBC GMR asking if I was available to present their Sunday Breakfast programme as holiday cover.

Back in 2002 during the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, I was working at BBC 2002 Commonwealth Games Radio. I got a phone call from the Manager of BBC GMR asking if I was available to present their Sunday Breakfast programme as holiday cover.

Back in 2002 during the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, I was working at BBC 2002 Commonwealth Games Radio. I got a phone call from the Manager of BBC GMR asking if I was available to present their Sunday Breakfast programme as holiday cover.

Back in 2002 during the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, I got a phone call from the manager of BBC GMR asking if I was available to present their Sunday Breakfast programme as holiday cover.

Back in 2002 during the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, I got a phone call from the manager of BBC GMR asking if I was available to present their Sunday Breakfast programme as holiday cover.

On April 2nd 1974, a new ILR station began broadcasting to Greater Manchester from Piccadilly Plaza. One of its original team of presenters was Londoner Andy Peebles, formerly of BBC Radio Manchester, whose weekly ‘Soul Train’ programme on a Sunday would quickly establish itself as essential listening for black music fans throughout the region. Over a quarter of a century later Stu Allan would play his final record on Piccadilly offshoot, Key 103, bringing the shutters down on an entire era, which started with Peebles, was nurtured by Mike Shaft, and saw Lee Browne take a bit part along the way. This is the story of how a Manchester radio station played a key role in shaping the city’s celebrated club culture.

This article is being reprinted as part of our celebrations first published when mikeshaft.com achieved 1 million hits. We were delighted to pass this milestone and other articles in the series will be added in coming months.

SUNSET RADIO RESPONSE TO THE GREEN PAPER PUBLISHED BY THE HOME OFFICE SUNSET RADIO is a group set up by Mike Shaft and Linbert Spencer to press for the introduction of an ethnic radio system in the United Kingdom. At the announcement of the experiment in 1985, Sunset Radio put together a group of people to apply for the Manchester Licence, under the Chairmanship of the former Lancashire and West Indian cricket captain Clive Lloyd.

Over the past years I have had the great pleasure of interviewing a number of celebrities. These have included politicians, sports people, musicians and comedians. In this section of mikeshaft.com, I will try to remember some of these people and give you a short resume of my interview with them. Please note these are done in no particular order.