Roger was born in 1937. He was a long-serving BBC TV network announcer, whose quietly reassuring voice was heard for 29 years on both BBC One and BBC Two (1966 – 1995).
…Healey, Gavin
The ex-Cool FM and Citybeat DJ joined the BBC Northern Ireland TV continuity announcing rota in 1999.
…Wyn-Jones, Nia
Nia was a radio and TV continuity director/announcer with BBC Wales TV (1980s – 2001). Latterly, she was in charge of the BBC Radio Cymru announcing team. Nia moved into educational programming. As of June 2005, she’s a freelance writer. Since January 2013, she’s been working for Boom Pictures as an assistant producer and producer.
Sanders, Reg
Reg joined the BBC in January 1988, working at BBC Radio Stoke on Trent. He moved to London to take up a job as a BBC TV network announcer in November 1989. He voiced his first junction – on BBC Two – on 13th November.
…Lawrence, Sally
Sally was a BBC TV network announcer (1992 – TBC). Later, she moved to a similar role at Channel 4.
De Stains, Ian
Ian was born in Yorkshire. He was a student of RADA in 1968, alongside Leigh Lawson, David Bradley, Timothy Dalton and Jonathan Meades.
…Rosser, Matthew
Matthew was a BBC Wales TV continuity director/announcer (1990 – TBC). Previously, he was an ILR presenter with Gwent Broadcasting and Red Dragon Radio. He became a senior channel director but was still occasionally heard on air. He oversaw the design and installation of digital transmission equipment into BBC Wales and was responsible for its subsequent development. He was both the first and last voice (the latter in-vision) on BBC Choice Wales.
Gillies, James
In the 1970s, James trained at the Royal Scottish Conservatoire. He taught speech and drama at Bankhead Academy (July 1978 – June 1980) and was head of speech and drama at Mintlaw Academy (July 1980 – May 1986).
In May 1986, James moved into freelance voiceover work, with clients including radio stations in Scotland and the north of England and video production companies. In August 1991, he moved to the BBC as a continuity announcer/director, working on BBC One Scotland, BBC Two Scotland and BBC Alba. He became a familiar voice on TV and radio, where he also narrated programmes, read the news and even got to read the shipping forecast.
He left the BBC in 2013 to focus on the performance side of voice work – in particular, storytelling. He has since recorded many audio books, for clients on both sides of the Atlantic.
Wray, Linda
Linda was born in Bangor, Co Down, and attended the Bangor Central Primary School and Glenlola Collegiate School, Bangor. She started out as an actress, before taking up a news presenting role at BBC Northern Ireland in the 1970s. Although the majority of her time with the BBC was in radio, she did also present the news on screen in the 1970s and 1980s. She was also a TV continuity announcer in the 1970s and early 1980s.
Linda retired from broadcasting in 2010. She read her final news bulletin on BBC Radio Ulster on Saturday 13th March 2010.
At the time of her retirement, colleagues paid tribute. Kathleen Carragher, editor radio news, BBC Radio Ulster, said: “Linda has one of the best voices in broadcasting. She has been a wonderful person to work with over the years and has always been a valued member of the BBC Radio Ulster news team.
“She has worked on some of the busiest news days in Northern Ireland covering the Troubles, the peace process and the return of devolution.
“Throughout this she has delivered her bulletins with an unwavering warmth and clarity. She has become a very familiar voice to our listeners over the years and I’m sure they will miss Linda every bit as much as we will. We wish her every success and happiness in the future.”
Peter Johnston, controller BBC Northern Ireland, commented: “For many, Linda’s voice has been one of the most enduring and familiar on BBC Radio Ulster. She has been on air for many of the pivotal events in Northern Ireland and has always kept her calm and her professionalism. She has played a key role in BBC Radio Ulster’s history and I wish her all the best for the future.”
Larmour, Roy
Roy worked at BBC Northern Ireland (1978 – 1988) as a newsreader on TV and radio. He also spent a while working in TV continuity (early to mid-1980s). In 1988, he moved to the BBC World Service as a newsreader. He left the BBC in 2018.
Bruce, Ken
Yes, the BBC Radio 2 favourite was once a BBC Scotland announcer. Ken started off doing the Scottish opt outs on BBC Radio 4 in the mid-1970s and later became a staff announcer. He mostly worked on radio, but his warm, rich, friendly voice was heard from time-to-time behind the BBC One Scotland globe.
Bailey, Roger
Roger attended Cardiff High School for Boys and Harrow County Grammar School. He studied Welsh for seven years.
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