June was born in Aberdeen. She graduated with an MA arts degree from the University of Aberdeen and taught for two years in Aberdeen and Somerset.
She was an active member of the Aberdeen University Players and appeared in Edinburgh Festival fringe productions.
In September 1961, aged 24, she was chosen from hundreds of applicants, to be one of three staff announcers and newsreaders at the newly launched Grampian TV.
Towards the end of 1962, whilst on holiday in London, she auditioned for BBC TV. At her second interview she adopted a Southern BBC accent, but was asked to retain her Scottish accent.
She was given a short-term contract and left Grampian TV in February 1963.
In March 1963, June moved to the BBC in London, as an in-vision announcer and was the first BBC TV network announcer with a Scottish accent.
She began by doing a week of introducing afternoon children’s programmes and did her first evening shift on Monday 18th March.
In May 1963, she was admitted to the Western Hospital in Fulham with suspected paratyphoid. Three months later, she was admitted to St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, as she had taken sleeping tablets which affected her kidney complaint.
She took seven weeks’ sick leave and returned to Aberdeen and took part in a student show at His Majesty’s Theatre.
In September 1963, her BBC contract was not renewed. She returned to London to take on freelance work, which included presenting BBC TV Children’s viewer feedback programme Junior Points of View (17th October 1963 – 4th June 1964).
June returned to Scotland and became one of Grampian Television’s best-loved personalities.
In June 1964, she recorded a pilot called Sugar ‘n’ Spice, where she was heard singing solo for the first time.
She decided to celebrate her North East Scotland roots by writing and recording songs and poetry that reflected the special humour of the people she had grown up with.
The result was two albums and live performances to packed audiences throughout the North East.
June was known as ‘The Torry Quine’, one of the most popular performers ever to encapsulate the humour of the North East of Scotland.
She was brought up in Torry, on the south east side of Aberdeen and grew up in a community that, even within the city, is regarded as unique.
Best known for its former fishing community, Torry has produced people with tremendous strength of character and, most of all, wonderful humour.
Her LPs sold out many years ago. But the 22-track album contains her most popular material. The tracks are instantly recognisable to thousands and were much-loved by a new generation.
June remained at Grampian TV’s studios at Queen’s Cross until 1979, but never returned to announcing after the ITV strike.
She performed a poem all about her ex-Grampian colleagues at Grampian’s 21st Birthday Show in 1982 and presented Grampian’s Hogmany Show in 1984.
In 1991, she joined former colleague Douglas Kynoch, to celebrate Grampian TV’s 30th anniversary.
On radio, she presented Music for Your Party (BBC Light Programme, 1963) and on BBC Radio Scotland (1981).
June was married to Scottish broadcaster Gerry Davis who died in 2009, aged 73.
Gerry had worked for BBC Radio Scotland since the 1960s and is best remembered for his Grampian TV series The Way It Was.
Their son, Paul Martin Davis, was a founding presenter on Scot FM in 1994.
Personal information
Clips of June on The TV Room
June may be featured in video/audio clips on our other websites. Click the links below to display a listing (a 404 error will appear if no clips are found):
Online presence
Acknowledgements
With thanks to Graham Stewart from Scotland On Air for additional information.
PICTURED: June Imray. COPYRIGHT: Ross Records.
Leave a Reply