These pages are dedicated to the memory of Essex Radio, the local radio station for the county of Essex. Essex Radio launched on the 12th of September 1981 from studios in Clifftown Road, Southend-on-Sea.
The site takes a nostalgic look at the radio station, and also provides a service for former staff members to keep in touch.
The voices
The day one presenters included:
- Alan Bell
- Andrew Marshall
- Andy Anderson
- Chris Green
- Dennis Rookard
- Eddie Blackwell (Jazz)
- Jeff Bonser
- John Wellington (Classical / Programme Controller)
- Jon and Penny Ledigo
- Lindsay King (Late night)
- Paul Lee (“The Hairy Eyeball”)
- Terry Davis
- Tim Lloyd (Timbo, recently on BBC Essex)
- Dave Gregory (now a freelance voiceover)
- Keith Rogers
- Dave Gillbee
- Roger Buxton (Sport)
- Steve Wood (News)
Later presenters included:
Adrian Fox, Adrian Seek, Ana Schofield, Andy Jackson, Barry ‘Baz’ Jones, Caesar the Geezer, Chris Best (now with Wish FM), Dave Eastwood (sadly no longer with us), Emperor Rosko, Gavin McCoy, Geoff Cullen, Graham Bannerman , James Bassam, John Hayes (sadly no longer with us), Matt MacKay, Nick Richards, Peter Holmes, Robbie Dee, Romilly Paradine, Terry Ray, Tim Murphy and Tony Monson.
Presenters still on-air locally:
- Martin Day (presenting the Breakfast show on Heart Essex)
- Mike Porter (presenting the breakfast show on Southend Radio)
- John Leech (now on BBC Essex)
- Paul Lovett (heard on Southend Radio and Chelmsford Radio)
- Nick Hull (Former Essex FM newsman, now on Southend Radio)
The CR1 Tweed desk
The pictures
The Roadshow crew circa 1983
Roger Buxton, Robbie Dee and Chris Best, from the early 90’s
The news team of the 90’s
Words and Music, from Queens Theatre, Hornchuch, with Mark Valencia (Centre) and Chris Green (Right). (Thanks to Alan Balding for this photo)
Longest-serving breakfast host, Martin Day, after having his long locks trimme
Essex FM Studio 2, in Southend on the last full day of broadcasting, Oct 2004
The logos
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The Videos
A small collection of video clips – In Microsoft AVI format
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Timbo on-air (1983) – 1.8Meg
Jon Scragg weather (1983) – 1.1Meg
Dave Gregory explains the desk (1983) – 1Meg
Gavin McCoy intro (1989) – 0.6Meg
Essex FM in Chelmsford
Essex FM moved from studios in Clifftown Road, Southend to a studio complex in Glebe Road, Chelmsford in October 2004. Here are a couple of photos of the new studios in Chelmsford. These are now branded as “Heart”.
The new building, in Glebe Road, Chelmsford
Essex FM Studio, Chelmsford (Oct 2004)
The Sounds
Want to hear some memories of Essex Radio? Take a look at our Essex Radio Audio page.
Your questions answered…
- Dah… da… da… da… dah… H. W Stone. Gloria asked to name that tune. The HW Stone jingle heard on Essex Radio in the 80’s used a jingle based on the “March of the Toy Soldiers” from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite. Extract.
- What ever happened to Paul Lee, the Hairy Eyeball? Last we heard was that he left the Essex area in the 1980s, and is no longer in the radio industry… but we don’t know what happened to him after he left Essex Radio. Please get in touch if you know!
Got a question about Essex Radio? Get in touch
The memories
STAFF REUNION 2003 – As a result of this page starting, and the founding of the Essex Radio mailing list, the first ever Essex Radio Reunion of staff members was held on the 4th January 2003. See the reunion report
Worked for Essex Radio and want to join our group? |
Join the free Essex radio mailing list and get in touch with others, and keep up-to-date on upcoming staff re-unions. If you’re interested in joining, fill in the short signup form
For more details of how to join the list, and who else is a member, see the Essex Radio List page
I have uncovered part of a Peter Holmes radio show on tape from about 1990 an would love to know the details of one of the music tracks played. I hope you can help?
I still live in Cheshunt Hertfordshire and used to listened to Essex FM via a huge FM aerial in my loft every day. I have to say who ever chose the play lists in those day’s was an absolute genius. Skipper wise, The London Beat, The Big Dish, Bad English (don’t walk away) Just fantastic .. never ever heard any of these on any other radio station, such cherished tapes.
I hope you can help me? Kindest regards David Parnell 07761373060
On my mixcloud page you will find quite a lot of my own Essex Radio soul/dance music shows(I was there from 1990 to late 93 on Saturday’s and some weekdays too but more importantly there are some other presenters featured at the beginning of some but not all the tapes just before I went on air. I have lots more to post so who knows what other presenters I will find on the tapes there are evn a couple of complete shows. Unfortunately I have nothing from the daytime output due to living outside of the broadcast area.
ther are also news bulletins of the time (I was pretty new to ILR then as you will find out , this is quite a large archive so you may even be on some of these tapes.
just type in markmccarthy in mixcloud to find the links
letme know if you cannot find them. where possible i have done my best to restore he sound
regards
Mark McCarthy
Hi Guys,
Just thought I’d message you an update on 3 ex Essex Radio presenters, on their current radio slots.
Mike Porter and Keith Rogers – Breakfast and Drive at Phoenix 98FM.
Chris Best – TIME 1075FM.
I am trying to find any photos of Eddie Blackwell as want to include him in a tribute film for this year’s Radio Festival – do you have anything in your archive? Thank you.
I have managed to uncover several more snippits of early 1990’s radio shows which I recorded on tape (so I could listen to them at a later time) some of which feature: Graham Bannerman (the CD show), Geoff Cullen, Holmes & McCoy(so funny!!), Sally Lawrence (late Sunday evenings) & Nick Richards (late Sunday evenings). I have drawers of old tapes which I still have to go through but just loved the exceptional play lists put together by the Essex Radio team of the time.
Does anyone have copies of these play lists? I would certainly love to have sight of them! Thank you. David Parnell Tel 07761373060
looking for andy anderson shows on essex rdio
With regret to say that John Wellington has passed yesterday, with great regret, he was my sons godfather, rest in peace my great friend, I love you
looking forward to catching up about those live Towngate shows
I remember To ing you guys on the arts team in the early 80’s. Best Glen
I have clips of some 1980’s shows on tape, Peter Holmes, Gavin McCoy, Nick Richards, Graham Bannerman, Sally Lawrence etc. What a great radio station! Please make contact to share memories. David
Right. Rabbit holes! So I trickled down the Shortwave and fell across “3975 Shortwave Radio”. Under the “News” tab on their web page they advised a previous transmission was the documentary “The rusty ships”. Traced that to Mixcloud where I learned of the link to Essex Radio. Tracked that to the Essex Radio section here, and the sad passing of the documentary guru Dave Gillbee.
Listened so far to part one of the programme, picked up a song from the SRE clip: “Excuse me baby” – The Magic Lanterns. That’s so quirky.
There’s no way that work would be commissioned by today’s “Independents”.
Offshore Radio Heritage will never die, and Essex Radio contributed greatly to its memory. Brilliant.
DID A JERRY SCOTT WORK ON ESSEX RADIO?