Roy Basnett

Roy was born in Widnes at some point in the 1960’s. Upon leaving school if was envisaged that Roy would, as his father and brother had done, enter the world of engineering. However it soon became apparent that Roy had as much chance of becoming an engineer as Vanessa Feltz had of becoming a successful daytime TV host. It wasn’t looking good for the young Roy Basnett in the Thatchersist Britain of the 1980’s. Unemployment was rife and jobs were scarce. He drifted from job to job. Labourer, industrial drain cleaner, grave digger, gardener and shop assistant where just some of the professions Roy tried his hand at and more often than not he was sacked!

Eventually Roy found his way into DJ-ing working the bars and clubs of his hometown. One day a friend mentioned that a local radio station was looking for a front man the host their summer road shows. Roy attended an audition and was promptly given the job. Through the radio station (Rock FM) Roy was introduced to the world of broadcasting and after 3 years of picking up work where it became available he landed the job of phone in presenter on Magic 999. It was this point Roy realised that “Talk” radio was where he wanted to be.

After a brief stint on the 2BR in Burnley Roy moved back to Rock FM in 2006 to present a phone in show. The format proved to be successful. Roy’s desire to do more in this field of broadcasting has brought him to City Talk. Roy will be on air in the early hours of the morning weekdays between 2-6am.

 Related Sessions

Sunday 2 November 2008, 10.00am Seminar Space
No laughing matter! Has political comedy lost its edge?



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"Participating in the Battle was a little like entering a Bombay train at rush hour - it's a plunge into a swirl of wildly differing notions of how people should arrange themselves in a really tight situation. When you eventually emerge, you find that you're in a different place from where you started - and that you've been thoroughly energised from the journey. I can't wait to take the trip again next year."
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