‘The memories are just wonderful’ – Tony Blackburn celebrates 60 years on air
The 81-year-old thanked his audience for his success and added he would not have a job without them.
Tony Blackburn has said he has “wonderful” memories of the beginning of his broadcasting career as he celebrates 60 years on air.
He told The Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2 he was grateful to still be presenting, and added that if he gets up in the morning and is “still breathing” then “anything else is a plus”.
The 81-year-old presented his first show on the Radio Caroline pirate station aged just 21, on July 25 1964.
He told Vine that he was not nervous when he presented his first show and added that talking into the microphone was “the most natural thing”.
Blackburn said: “I remember going out there 60 years ago now on a little boat from Harwich, it was quite rough and I saw Mi Amigo, which was Radio Caroline, and I thought, how wonderful is that?
“I got into the studio at 4pm, and I’d never broadcast before, I just fell in love with it, I didn’t have any nerves, it was just the most natural thing talking into a microphone.
“I’ve always loved radio anyway, even when I was a kid I always loved listening to the radio.
“It seems like a long time ago, but I mean the memories of it are just wonderful.”
Blackburn also worked on pirate station Radio London, before launching BBC Radio 1 in September 1967 by playing The Move’s Flowers In The Rain, he went on to present Top Of The Pops on TV, and still hosts Sounds Of The 60s.
He also had a singing career which saw him record three albums and an array of singles, with three featuring in the top 75 of the UK singles chart.
During the show, Blackburn was called by a number of fans who spoke about their memories of his early shows, with the presenter telling Vine he owed his success to his audience.
He added: “If we don’t have the listeners we haven’t got a job, have we?”
Blackburn said he had received a “lovely” reaction from listeners and fellow broadcasters for his 60th anniversary.
The Guildford-born presenter said: “It’s been lovely, the director-general came in to see me, Helen Thomas, the head of Radio 2, everybody.
“You hang around long enough and you get these people coming to find you.
“When I get up in the morning and I’m still breathing, anything else that comes along is a plus.”
