Talk Radio UK launch - 1995

Talk Radio UK was the final one of the three new national commercial radio licences, after the commercial sector was, at long last, awarded some national frequencies. Two were on AM and only one on the precious FM band. The one on FM could play music. But only if it wasn’t pop.

So, Talk Radio UK began on the 14th February 1995. For the pedantic, the station really began late the previous night with the infamous ‘Caeser the Geezer’. 

The station was a mix of entertaining conversation, with presenters ranging from Moz Dee and Tommy Boyd in mischievous mood; to Dale Winton, Jeremy Beadle, Anna Raeburn, Paul Ross and a great Dr David Starkey weekend show where he played his typical self and phone-in callers were equally typically behaved.

In this, the opening show, the duo face the daunting challenge of sounding natural and everyday, whilst the nation and the press watch as well as listen. With no songs to provide some escape, opening moments on this format are arguably the most unnerving. Listen to see if you think whether Sean and Samantha really enjoy being on-air together or not.

It was an interesting melee: excellent in parts and less so in others, like so many talk stations. Not least because the format was such a particular challenge in this country, weaned on 'speech' rather than 'talk' - done the BBC way - and heavily regulated. At the time, I was a regulator at the Radio Authority and part of my role was arbitrating on complaints from puzzled listeners. Angry letters used to suggest that presenters were 'giving their views'. Shock, horror. 

Three years after launch, the station was bought; with former Sun Editor Kelvin MacKenzie taking the reins. Kelvin was very much an outsider to the ‘commercial radio club’ and never feared saying the unthinkable. He certainly added colour to the industry in his tenure, and many lines of copy for every trade paper. 

In 2000, in a simple clever move, the station was re-branded as Talk Sport. In the latter guise, and now under UTV ownership, there is no doubt it has carved out a successful niche in the hearts and minds of its listeners and the advertising industry. 

A new TalkRADIO launched on DAB in 2016.