Tom Edwards (born 20 March 1945) is a British radio presenter and television announcer.

Career

Born in Norwich, Edwards began work as a journalist and later became the announcer on the Border Television programme Beat the Border. He worked for Radio City and Radio Caroline in the 1960s, and later for BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2, presenting the early Saturday morning show on the latter in the 1970s and early 1980s.[1] In 1968, Edwards replaced Simon Dee on "Midday Spin" on Radio 1 and Radio 2.[2] In the 1970s, he worked as a presenter on BBC East's daily morning regional opt-outs from the Today programme on BBC Radio 4.[3]

Edwards was the in-vision announcer for Thames Television for most of the 1980s, also working for ATV and HTV West. He worked on BBC Radio Norfolk in the 1990s. After recovering from alcoholism, his friend Bob Monkhouse gave him a job as the voiceover artist on the game show Wipeout in the late 1990s.[4]

In 2009, Edwards and David Clayton, editor of BBC Radio Norfolk, compiled an hour-long story of his life. Edwards The Confessor was broadcast on 31 August 2009. Edwards followed with two hours of music.

Personal life

Edwards lives in the village of Heckington in Lincolnshire.[5]

His autobiography, "Is Anybody There" was published by Kaleidoscope on 8 December 2018. Edwards used to open his radio show by knocking on the microphone three times and saying: "Is anybody there?" During an interview to promote the book, he said, "My book is a turbulent read but I hope you enjoy it and you can join me on a journey that took me here, there and just about everywhere."[2]

The book highlights his varied career as a DJ in pirate and commercial radio, as a TV broadcaster working for the BBC and several other TV companies, as well as a period in Hollywood. The book also delves into Edwards' personal battle with alcohol and drug addiction, which he successfully overcame after spending three years in a rehabilitation centre in Lincolnshire.[6][7]

References

  1. ↑ "Offshore disc-jockeys of the 60s". offshoreradio.co.uk.
  2. 1 2 "New book by veteran broadcaster Tom Edwards is a turbulent read". ontheradio.co.uk. 26 November 2018.
  3. ↑ "BBC Radio Norfolk's 25th anniversary". BBC. 9 September 2005. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  4. ↑ "'There is life after alcoholism'". BBC News. 29 May 2006.
  5. ↑ "Veteran broadcaster selling off over 50 years in showbiz". Lincolnshire World. 27 February 2022.
  6. ↑ "Is Anybody There?". tom-edwards.co.uk.
  7. ↑ "From BBC news reader to destitute drunk on the streets of Norwich - Tom Edwards' starry highs and desperate lows". Eastern Daily Press. 26 November 2018.
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