Biography
This page uses content from the Mark Radcliffe biography page on the English version of Wikipedia and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. This list of authors can be seen in the page history. Rotten Tomatoes disclaims any and all warranties as to the accuracy or reliability of the content.
Mark Radcliffe is an English broadcaster who has worked in various roles for the BBC since the 1980s.
Background
Radcliffe was born in Bolton, Lancashire on 29 June 1958, and took an interest in music from a young age, playing the drums in a number of unsuccessful bands (including, briefly, Skrewdriver - before their infamous incarnation as a racist band) before his transition to radio. He is, in some respects, a very traditional British DJ, with a wide knowledge of rock and pop, and his Northern English style sense of humour and quick wit bear comparison to both John Peel and Peter Kay. He now lives in Cheshire and is married with three daughters.
Career
His career in radio began firstly at local UK station Piccadilly Radio, but he came to prominence as a DJ on BBC Radio 5's Hit The North programme in 1990.
Radcliffe also joined Radio 1 in 1991, presenting a 1 hour Monday evening show called Out on Blue Six, and then in early 1993, presented an arts programme entitledThe Guest List, which went out on Thursdays.
His most famous work is as one half of the double act known as Mark and Lard (with Marc The Boy Lard Riley), presenters on BBC Radio 1.
The duo began on a late-night weekday slot in October 1993, Monday - Thursday from 10pm-Midnight. This was a relatively esoteric show for Radio 1, being based around non-playlist music and featuring live sessions, poetry readings and comedy. Following Chris Evans' departure in early 1997 they were moved to a brief and unsuccessful stint on the breakfast show. Their style of music and broadcasting was not a success in this slot and soon they were moved to the early afternoon slot from 2-4pm. They occupied that slot for the rest of their time at the station, winning a Sony Gold award in the process.
Radcliffe left Radio 1 in March 2004. He moved to an evening slot on BBC Radio 2 in June of the same year, presenting a show reminiscent of the 'graveyard shift' he had previously occupied on Radio 1 - the show includes live music and studio guests. Riley can now be found on BBC 6Music.
Radcliffe managed some brief success in the music business with the now defunct Shirehorses, a parody band spawned from his Mark And Lard antics, and is currently a member of the more folk-oriented The Family Mahone.
Although he has worked less extensively in television than in radio, Radcliffe did present a live music programme, The White Room, for Channel 4 in 1995, and regularly appears on the BBC's coverage of the Glastonbury Festival and the Cambridge Folk Festival. Along with Marc Riley, he presented a music-based quiz programme, Pop Upstairs Downstairs, for the BBC/Flextech digital TV channel UK Play between 1999 and 2000.
He is also a published author, having written the autobiographical book 'Showbusiness: The Diary Of A Rock 'N' Roll Nobody', a witty and critically acclaimed look back at his failed attempts at gaining a career in music as well as his exploits with The Shirehorses. In 2005 he released 'Northern Sky', a witty, charming novel about a folk club and its members in an imaginary but vividly described Northern city.
External links
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