BBC Radio 2 to celebrate the career of Pete Murray – In His Own Words

Pete Murray In His Own Words is to air on Radio 2 as part of the 100 Years of the BBC anniversary.

The programme will be a celebration of the radio and TV presenter’s long and successful career, which began in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Pete, who is 97, talks with Steve Wright, reliving some of the memorable highlights of his career of over 70 years.

Now retired, Pete briefly returned to broadcasting on Boxing Day last year with a special programme on Boom Radio.

He originally wanted to be an actor, so went to RADA, before being offered a position as announcer on the English service of Radio Luxembourg, where he stayed until 1956. It was here that he learnt the skills of being a radio presenter, which led to him eventually being one of the original DJs on BBC Radio 1 when it launched in 1967.

In the programme, Pete shares many happy memories of Terry Wogan, Kenny Everett, Kid Jensen, Bob Harris and pranking with Tony Blackburn.

By 1969, he was one of the main presenters on BBC Radio 2, where he hosted Open House for over 10 years. It was one of his favourite jobs, where he got to interview many big stars including Marlene Dietrich, James Stewart, Marvin Hamlisch and David Attenborough.

Other highlights Pete relives include presenting the BBC’s first rock-and-roll programme, Six-Five Special, launched in February 1957. He became a regular panellist on Juke Box Jury with his great friend and colleague David Jacobs. He was among the first regular presenters of Top Of The Pops when it began in 1964.

And uniquely positioned, Pete shares his thoughts on today’s Eurovision and Strictly Come Dancing, as he was the host of both of the popular programmes.

He also shares many other highlights of his varied broadcasting career.

Pete Murray In His Own Words, presented by Steve Wright, includes guests, music and archives. It can be heard on BBC Radio 2 at midnight on Sunday 23 October and on BBC Sounds from Monday 10 October.