Ashleigh was born in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1980. She graduated from the University of Sunderland. In 2001, she won a radio competition to be the traffic and travel reporter at Century FM.
…Gentry, Sarah
Sarah graduated from the Oxford School of Drama in 1991 and after years of living out of a bag as a touring actor, she went into stage management in the West End on The Buddy Holly Story. However, her need to perform came calling again and she landed the job as a BBC TV continuity announcer (April 1999 – November 2010). She was primarily a BBC Two voice but occasionally turned up on BBC One. She could also be heard on BBC Radio 5 Live promotions. She was the launch voice of BBC Knowledge (June 1999).
…Coverdale, Frances
Frances was born in London. She is a former newspaper journalist.
…Courtie, Simeon
Simeon was born in Swindon and grew up in Liverpool. His father was a vicar. He left school in 1986, aged 16, and became a City & Guilds-qualified mechanical and electrical engineer, completing a four-year apprenticeship at Timsons, a printing press manufacturer in Kettering. During this time, he joined the local hospital radio station KHBA and started volunteering at BBC Radio Northampton. In 1990, he began a full-time broadcasting career as a radio car reporter and presenter at BBC Radio Northampton.
…McGavin, John
Also known as John McGavin Gordon. John was an ABC and ATV London announcer in the 1950s, but had an ambition to become an actor and went to drama school.
…Everard, Martin
Martin’s first on-air role was as a relief announcer with BBC Northern Ireland in the 1960s. From there he moved to London and gradually moved up through the ranks of TV presentation, before moving into programme production. He took some time out from his BBC job to participate in the British America’s Cup Challenge (Lionheart) (1979 – 1980).
…Ward-Lewis, Colin
Colin was born in Lambeth in 1939. He is a former actor and a former member of the National Youth Theatre. Michael Croft (who founded the NYT in 1956) was an English master at Colin’s old school. Colin was working at the De Lane Lea Studios in 1963 when the BBC gave the go-ahead for BBC Two and a friend, Michael Wood said he should apply.
…Empringham, Brian
Brian was briefly a BBC TV network announcer (1971 – 1972). He was also an announcer on BBC Radio 4 (1971 – 1974) and BBC External Services/World Service (1978 – 1998).
…Priestland, Gerald
Gerald was educated at Charterhouse and New College, Oxford. He joined the BBC in 1949 as a news sub-editor. He spent his first six months on a contract, writing obituaries.
…Tidmarsh, John
John was born in Camberwell, south London. He was an evacuee during the early years of World War II and went to three different grammar schools before joining his parents in Bristol for his final school years at Cotham Grammar School.
…Redfern, Barrie
Barrie was born in Rotherham. He started out as a student broadcaster, before moving to BBC Local Radio.
…Scott, Avis
Avis was born in 1918, with the surname Scutt. Many people tried to persuade her to alter her name but it was Noel Coward who finally succeeded when he said “my dear, the name Scutt sounds like a great piece of rabbit!”.
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