Broadcasting legend Chris Tarrant has shared a memorable story about interviewing David Bowie, describing the music icon as “the nicest bloke” he ever met.
Chris joined his son Toby Tarrant for a Father’s Day special on Radio X, where the pair reflected on his long radio career and some of the biggest stars he interviewed along the way.
Speaking about Bowie, Chris said he met the singer twice, including during an appearance on his Capital Breakfast Show when the star was travelling back to New York to see his newborn child.
Despite being one of the world’s biggest music stars, Chris said Bowie arrived alone and without the entourage often associated with major celebrities.
“What a top man. The best bloke,” Chris told Toby and fellow presenter Dominic Byrne.
Recalling the encounter, he said: “He came in on The Breakfast Show. Bearing in mind he was just this huge star, and he was on his way back to the States to see his new baby, and he just ambled in about sort of 10 minutes early.
“I went, ‘Oh my god, it’s Ziggy Stardust!’ He had sort of old mac on, no PR people around, and no managers. And he was just the nicest bloke.”
Chris admitted he was instantly struck by Bowie’s warmth and down-to-earth personality.
“He was just, ‘Hello, mate, you’re alright?’ and called me Tarrant and all that. I was like, ‘Hello, I’m talking to David Bowie!’”
Chris recalled that the interview took an unexpected turn when he invited listeners to call in and speak directly to the star.
Rather than asking about music, many callers wanted to discuss sightings of Bowie on London buses.
Chris laughed as he remembered one listener saying: “Hello Dave! Anyway, I saw you once Dave on the number 12 bus coming out of Streatham.”
To Chris’s surprise, Bowie happily joined in with the conversation.
“He said, ‘I was, actually.’ And we had about a 45-minute conversation with David Bowie about buses he’d been seen in.”
Another caller claimed to have spotted him in Croydon, prompting Bowie to reminisce about travelling on local routes around South London.
For Chris, it became one of the defining moments of his broadcasting career.
“It was just the most wonderful… I was just sitting there, like, ‘I’m just in love with David Bowie’ and being on the radio,” he said.
Toby added that Bowie was so relaxed after the interview that he reportedly declined a taxi and chose to travel home by Tube instead.
You can listen to the conversation between Chris and Toby on Global Player.