Richard Park

Born in 1948, Fife. Everyone has a Richard Park story. Some will likely be unfamiliar to even him. He can smile at his critics, safe in the knowledge he has achieved success on more than one occasion. He is acclaimed by many as the UK's greatest ever radio programmer.

Richard began his radio career on the pirate Radio Scotland, where you hear him here on this Audioboom.

On land, at a young Radio Clyde, he was known as a football commentator, as well as hosting 'Doctor Dick's Midnight Surgery'. In 1987, he joined Capital as Head of Music, then Programme Controller, so was present at the reins as the station moved into its competitive age. Whilst it was his predecessor, Jo Sandilands, who put Tarrant on breakfast, he was certainly there as it peaked. After 14 years, he left Capital to ‘concentrate on the creative side of the business’, which involved helping to programme Magic to giddy heights; and presenting on LBC.

Richard was then part of the team which acquired Chrysalis Radio, became Global Radio, and acquired GCap. From being an unknown outsider, Global was to became the largest group - at considerable speed - with Richard's hand on the tiller.