Face behind the voice
Age 42 Current job
Presents the Radio X weekday evening show (Mon—Thu, 7—10pm) and the Sunday show (7—10pm) on Radio X Chilled. “We’ve got a nice mix of music like the Stones, Foo Fighters, Bowie, Arctic Monkeys, but we’ll pepper in maybe some artists you haven’t heard before. X Chilled is for when you’re feeling a little bit stressed!”
CV Born in Ely, Cambs, he was “a Forces kid — I’d end up in places where I didn’t have a lot of friends but the one constant was listening to the radio.” While studying public relations at Leeds University, he was a general assistant at Viking FM. “I remember that first day, thinking ‘This is incredible. What a life this is gonna be!’” He also worked for the student radio station: “They said there’s one slot, Monday 4am, and nobody wants it. I was like — yes!”
His professional radio debut was back at Viking on weekend nights in 2003. From 2005 he was at Galaxy (now Capital). He moved to
XFM in 2010, was briefly at Kiss and NME Radio, then returned to XFM until it became Radio X in 2015.
From 2010 he was a continuity announcer for Quest, ITV2 and ITV4. His first major TV show was Launched at Red Bull Studios for Channel 4 in 2012.
Social media — yes or no? “If all your values, your self-esteem — have I got enough followers? How does this look? — are coming from social media, that’s dangerous. And I say that as someone who’s a parent now. But it’s a very important marketing tool.”
Best moment “Hosting a festival in 2007 when Daft Punk were headlining. It was just me and my producer backstage. Out of this Portakabin emerged the two robots. It felt other-worldly!”
Worst moment “At Christmas in 2003, I was doing prank calls. I called Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant in Mayfair and told his assistant we were going to deliver 1,000 mince pies he’d ordered. All of a sudden comes Ramsay’s booming voice: ‘We didn’t order any f***ing mince pies!’ And put down the phone. I thought wow! This is my moment..! I looked at the computer — nothing had recorded. I felt so sick.”
Off air Lves in Shenfield, Essex, with wife Carin, a former Swedish pop star, and their two daughters.
First radio memory “Simon Mayo’s jingle. We used to sing it in the car: ‘Mayo! Simon May-ay-ay-o!‘ In 1988 I made my auntie take me to Blackpool for a Radio 1 Road Show. I remember thinking that this was like the Holy Land!”
Favourite broadcasters “I realised quite young that if I wanted to fulfil this dream of being on the radio, I had to study the people. I’d listen to Scottie McClue on Scot FM, Steve Wright, Terry Wogan, Chris Moyles… trying to understand what it was they were doing.”
Secret skills “I play the bagpipes. I’m also very good at UK geography. When I get a caller, I can pinpoint something close to where they are. So I can make national radio local. I’m really grateful I had the opportunity to travel.” DAVID MCGILLIVRAY