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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Great Lives: Alan Freeman picked by Simon Mayo

Alan Freeman picked by Simon Mayo

BBC Radio 4 - Great Lives, Alan Freeman picked by Simon Mayo

Simon Mayo picks his broadcasting hero, Pick of the Pops's Alan 'Fluff' Freeman.

In 1961 Alan 'Fluff' Freeman took over presenting Pick of the Pops and changed music broadcasting forever.  Behind the scenes he was kind and generous, but remained an enigma.

In 1961 Alan 'Fluff' Freeman took over as the host of the BBC Radio's 'Pick of the Pops' and changed music broadcasting forever.  From the opening "Greetings pop pickers" Alan would count down the hottest records of the week punctuating the end of each track with minimal detail before introducing the next.  It was exhilarating radio and his staccato delivery and catchphrases of "Right, all right, stay bright" and "Not 'Arf" he influenced a generation of broadcasters.  

Simon Mayo was a DJ at Radio 1 at the same time as 'Fluff' and says his broadcasting hero coming came into his studio and said "Simon, darling" before kissing the back of his own hand that he'd placed over Simon's mouth.  Simon remembers the end of Fluff's time at Radio 1 and speaks openly about his own departure from the BBC in 2018.  He tells Matthew Parris that it was Fluff's economy of words that impressed him when sometimes he'd simply say "and" to link two records, and how Freeman gave once gave him a notebook full of opera and classical music recommendations.

Behind-the-scenes Alan was generous, kind and encouraging, but he was also a deeply private man who few got to know well.  But one person who did was producer Phil Swern who worked with Alan for many years.

Presenter: Matthew Parris
Guest: Simon Mayo
Guest: Phil Swern

Producer: Toby Field for BBC Audio Bristol

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