Cardboard Shoes

 

Last night - or, more accurately, in the very early hours of this morning - we said an on-air fond farewell to someone I've been working with throughout my entire professional career at the BBC. Keith Skues, "Cardboard Shoes", who retired after 61 years in broadcasting with us, Independent Local Radio, BBC Radio 1, Radio Caroline, the British Forces Network and more besides.

Yesterday was Keith's final regular programme, and I was fortunate enough not only to be working on it to help say goodbye to him, but also to have been able to pay tribute with another feature in the Weekend supplement of the Eastern Daily Press on Saturday. They've also put it online, where you can read it here.

My first ever paid shift at the BBC - after a few months as a volunteer phone answerer on the old Action Desk - was working on Keith's Sunday night show in February 2007. I was his regular broadcast assistant for the next two-and-a-half years or so, and have often deputised ever since, as well as working with him from time-to-time on assorted special broadcasts and documentaries. One of my own personal favourite memories in radio will always be getting the chance to produce a show from Broadcasting House, when we did his Radio 1 50th anniversary special from there in October 2017.

So I owe a lot to Keith, a unique character who inspires a great deal of fond affection in many who have worked with and listened to him down the decades. Thanks to him, and thanks to the EDP for allowing me to put some of that on the record.

Anniversary Antics

For the past three months or so solidly, and off-and-on since the beginning of the year, one major project on which I have been working has been the 40th anniversary celebrations of the radio station where I work, BBC Radio Norfolk. The big day was last Friday, the 11th of September.

It's been a lot of work but good fun, and entirely self-imposed. There was no need for anybody to do this, but as anyone who's read much of this blog down the years will know it's the kind of thing I very much enjoy doing. A three-part documentary series, one mini-documentary, eleven packages, two cue & qs with clips for lives, assorted news clips cut and cued and various photo galleries and archive clips for online. 

Plus - 1200 words for the EDP, who very kindly ran a feature of mine again in their Weekend supplement. With that amazing cover you can see above, too - I really liked that. I might get it framed, one day!

You can read the feature on the EDP website, here. And the 40th anniversary section of the BBC Radio Norfolk website, which you can find here, is likely to stay online for the foreseeable future.

Now - onto the next thing! Which is getting back to a non-fiction Doctor Who project on which I have also been working this year, but had to put aside to concentrate on the documentaries over the summer.