Ex-radio broadcaster dies at 92

A VETERAN radio producer who gave early broadcasting breaks to Lulu and Billy Connolly has died aged 92.

Ben Lyons worked with Nat King Cole, before giving the Big Yin and his band the Humblebums a big break in the late 1960s.

His daughter Beverley said: “He was a real gentleman in every sense of the word; no one had a bad word to say about him.

“He gave Billy Connolly his first broadcast as a musician. I remember him telling me that he then went along to see one of his comedy shows and was unimpressed with some of the language he used.

“But he was good friends with him, who used to call him wee Ben, as well as Lulu who had a lot of love for him.”

He produced the Derek Davidson show and brought the Radio One roadshow to Scotland before working on the Radio Two shows at Hogmanay.

He officially retired in 1983, but still worked for the BBC for 12 years after that.

Mr Lyons passed away peacefully on Saturday night.