Patricia Hughes - Radio 3 Announcer

Patricia Hughes joined the BBC as a secretary in 1944 before becoming an announcer on the General Overseas Service in 1946. Later on the Home Service, Light Programme and Third Programme. She left the BBC in 1962 to look after her family, returning in 1969 initially freelance and then back on the staff in 1970. Allocated to the Radio 3 team where she stayed until retiring in 1983. Described as having a “dark brown voice” by The Listener in 1979. In contrast one-time network controller Stephen Hearst wanted to “get rid of that terrible woman with the Kensington voice.”

Mary Stott of The Guardian wrote in 1983 “Patricia Hughes is a remarkably elegant woman. Tall, slender, long-waisted, very straight-backed with short, greying blonde curly hair, and very delicate make-up. You see at once that she is a perfectionist. Every item of her outfit has been meticulously chosen.”

Asked what had been the best part of the job Patricia replied: “Oh I love all the job. It has been immense fun. But there is little doubt that going out and doing the operas and, even more, announcing the Monday concerts at St John’s Smith Square has been the best of all.”

Patricia Hughes died in January 2013 aged 90.