Great Lives

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Factual: Life Stories

Biographical series in which guests choose someone who has inspired their lives.

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Matthew Parris

Chris Tarrant

Great Lives: Kenny Everett

Kenny Everett

BBC Radio 4 - Great Lives, Kenny Everett

Chris Tarrant chooses one of the great pioneers of modern radio - Kenny Everett.

Chris Tarrant nominates Kenny Everett as the greatest pioneer of modern radio. With Matthew Parris and James Hogg. From 2013.

Chris Tarrant chooses one of the great pioneers of modern radio.

He's the man born Maurice Cole in Liverpool in 1944, who found fame on TV as Gizzard Puke, Cupid Stunt and Sid Snot: Kenny Everett.

Kenny's life was almost as bizarre as the characters he played, but it is for his work as a DJ that Chris Tarrant selects him. Tarrant was at London's Capital Radio for 20 years.  

Kenny Everett began his career in pirate radio, from where he was sacked. He also worked for the BBC, from where he was sacked. He made one appearance on Radio 4's Just a Minute, famously talking about marbles. Other employees included Radio Luxembourg and Capital.

Presenter Matthew Parris reminisces about the Young Conservatives invitation to Kenny Everett to join them on stage in 1983 - his slogans included 'Let's Bomb Russia' and 'Let's kick Michael Foot's stick away' - while biographer James Hogg fills in some of the details of Everett's complicated personal life.

Producer: Miles Warde

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 2013.

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