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Bob Harris (radio presenter)
Robert Brinley Joseph Harris OBE (born 11 April 1946), popularly known as "Whispering Bob" Harris, is an English broadcaster. He was a host of the BBC2 music programme The Old Grey Whistle Test from 1972 to 1979, and was a co-founder of the listings magazine Time Out, co-editing until the early part of 1969. He has presented The Country Show on BBC Radio 2 on Thursday nights since April 1999, and Sounds of the 70s on Sunday afternoons since November 2024, replacing Johnnie Walker.
Harris has been broadcasting on the BBC for 50 years and has been recognised with the Americana Music Association of America Trailblazer Award, a UK Heritage Award and a MOJO Medal, as well as his OBE for services to broadcasting.
Born on 11 April 1946 in Northampton, England, Harris first followed in his father's footsteps and joined Northamptonshire Police as a cadet for two years. Harris's father was from Pontardawe in South Wales.[failed verification]
Rugby was a childhood passion for Harris, who played at school and later at county level. Interviewed in 2023, he said, "I did have a couple of concussions played but not the 25 people have said." He played for the Midlands and aspired to play for England team, but his interest in music took over.
He then helped found Time Out magazine, as co-editor. Years later, he still refers to himself as "a journalist who can broadcast".
Harris presented The Old Grey Whistle Test on BBC2 from 1972 until December 1979. His first appearance on the show was as chair of a debate on the Night Assemblies Bill, based on his experience as a journalist and at the invitation of producer Richard Williams. Shortly afterwards he was invited to be the main presenter. His velvety voice and quiet delivery earned him his enduring nickname "Whispering Bob". His hippie-style beard and laid-back presentation made him a target for parody, including by Eric Idle on the 1970s BBC comedy show Rutland Weekend Television.
Harris later became notorious among the younger generation for distancing himself on air from Roxy Music's first performance on the show and deriding the New York Dolls as "mock rock". In the summer of 1974, Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood included Harris ("or the 'Sniffing Whistler' as we know him") on a "Hates" list on their "You're going to wake up one morning and find out which side of the bed you've been lying on" T-shirt.[page needed] In early 1977, at the Speakeasy (a London nightclub popular with rock stars of the day), Sex Pistols fan and subsequent bass player Sid Vicious threatened Harris over whether the Pistols would appear on the Old Grey Whistle Test.[non-primary source needed]
In 1981, Harris moved to BBC Radio Oxford, presenting the weekday afternoon show from 15:00–17:00, taking over from Timmy Mallett. Harris remained there until 1984. He then joined London's LBC radio station, presenting a weekly half-hour music review and also joined GWR, where he did shows on Saturday lunchtimes and Sunday afternoons.
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Bob Harris (radio presenter)
Robert Brinley Joseph Harris OBE (born 11 April 1946), popularly known as "Whispering Bob" Harris, is an English broadcaster. He was a host of the BBC2 music programme The Old Grey Whistle Test from 1972 to 1979, and was a co-founder of the listings magazine Time Out, co-editing until the early part of 1969. He has presented The Country Show on BBC Radio 2 on Thursday nights since April 1999, and Sounds of the 70s on Sunday afternoons since November 2024, replacing Johnnie Walker.
Harris has been broadcasting on the BBC for 50 years and has been recognised with the Americana Music Association of America Trailblazer Award, a UK Heritage Award and a MOJO Medal, as well as his OBE for services to broadcasting.
Born on 11 April 1946 in Northampton, England, Harris first followed in his father's footsteps and joined Northamptonshire Police as a cadet for two years. Harris's father was from Pontardawe in South Wales.[failed verification]
Rugby was a childhood passion for Harris, who played at school and later at county level. Interviewed in 2023, he said, "I did have a couple of concussions played but not the 25 people have said." He played for the Midlands and aspired to play for England team, but his interest in music took over.
He then helped found Time Out magazine, as co-editor. Years later, he still refers to himself as "a journalist who can broadcast".
Harris presented The Old Grey Whistle Test on BBC2 from 1972 until December 1979. His first appearance on the show was as chair of a debate on the Night Assemblies Bill, based on his experience as a journalist and at the invitation of producer Richard Williams. Shortly afterwards he was invited to be the main presenter. His velvety voice and quiet delivery earned him his enduring nickname "Whispering Bob". His hippie-style beard and laid-back presentation made him a target for parody, including by Eric Idle on the 1970s BBC comedy show Rutland Weekend Television.
Harris later became notorious among the younger generation for distancing himself on air from Roxy Music's first performance on the show and deriding the New York Dolls as "mock rock". In the summer of 1974, Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood included Harris ("or the 'Sniffing Whistler' as we know him") on a "Hates" list on their "You're going to wake up one morning and find out which side of the bed you've been lying on" T-shirt.[page needed] In early 1977, at the Speakeasy (a London nightclub popular with rock stars of the day), Sex Pistols fan and subsequent bass player Sid Vicious threatened Harris over whether the Pistols would appear on the Old Grey Whistle Test.[non-primary source needed]
In 1981, Harris moved to BBC Radio Oxford, presenting the weekday afternoon show from 15:00–17:00, taking over from Timmy Mallett. Harris remained there until 1984. He then joined London's LBC radio station, presenting a weekly half-hour music review and also joined GWR, where he did shows on Saturday lunchtimes and Sunday afternoons.