DJ and presenter Mike Read on finding your passion in life and never retiring

Mike Read clearly never wants the music to stop. The DJ and presenter, who became a household name as host of the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show back in the Eighties, is still in his favourite morning slot – with a show on online radio station United DJs, playing heritage and modern music and delighting a world-wide audience.

It’s one more chapter in a stellar career that’s spanned TV as well as radio (he hosted Saturday Superstore and Pop Quiz). Read also had stints at Capital Gold, Classic FM and Jazz FM, combined with a hugely successful song-writing career, staging several musicals, and writing books.

Here, Manchester-born Read, 73, reflects on what music and words mean to him, his radio career and why he’ll never retire…

How are you enjoying your role on United DJs?

“It’s one of the most enjoyable I’ve had because there’s such freedom to play what you want. There’s no blokes in suits laying down the rules, no fixed playlists, so it’s a mini music revolution.

“We’ve got an amazing team of DJs on United DJs. There’s former Radio One, Capital and Luxembourg legends, including Emperor Rosko, Eddy Grant, David Hamilton, David Kid Jensen and Bob Lawrence and they have full license to be as inventive and imaginative as they want. Currently, with lockdown, most are working from their homes, as I am.

“I play a real eclectic mix of chart stuff from the Sixties, Seventies, Eighties, Nineties, and lots of current stuff which I think is great too. It’s two years old with an audience of 100,000 per week across all streams hitting 180 countries.”

How did you become a DJ?

“I was spotted by this very eccentric guy guy who ran Radio 210 in the Thames Valley. He heard me commentating on a cricket match. He told me I’d make a good broadcaster because: ‘One: you’re very English. Two: you’re mildly eccentric. And three: you’re a good opening bowler.’ I joined the station and played for his new radio station cricket team. It was a bit random but it opened the door to a wonderful life for me.

“I began with Steve Wright on The Read & Wright show in 1976 and by pure chance we had a chemistry, where we intuitively knew what the other would say or do and could spark off each other.

“In those days, major artists would come to local stations and on my first day, David Cassidy arrived in Britain. He came straight to see us. I interviewed him with massive crowds of screaming teenage girls outside and a huge buzz of excitement, and I thought, ‘If this is what radio’s like, I’m in’. Unsurprisingly, it turned out it wasn’t quite as sensational as that every day but I fell in love with it anyway.”

What were your favourite shows?

“Saturday Superstore was live and fronting that came with a certain amount of risk and jeopardy, which was scary but great fun. All the top bands and artists came on, as well as guests from all areas, like top sports stars and the three political leaders at the time – Margaret Thatcher, Neil Kinnock and David Steel. I always had my guitar handy and on one occasion played with Slade.

“Top Of The Pops was a national institution and it was brilliant to be part of its history. Hosting the last show in 2006 was a moment tinged with sadness because it was the end of an amazing era for popular music.

“The first day in 1981, I sat in the studio to host the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show and felt a fraud because that seat had been occupied by Dave Lee Travis, Noel Edmonds, Tony Blackburn, greats of the era. Then I was there! It was incredible fun and I loved every minute of it for nearly six years.”

What drives you?

“My love of music and words. You have to find out what your passionate is in life and do it. Julie Andrew’s mother and aunt ran dancing classes in a room in our house when I was a child. I was a hopeless dancer but fascinated by the magical way notes came together to make tunes, and that kicked off my lifelong passion.

“I’ve written songs for around 40 artists over the years. Cliff Richard, David Essex and the Bee Gees have all sung my stuff. In 2005, my song Grief Never Grows Old, to raise awareness of the Tsunami appeal, reached number four in the charts.”

What do you most enjoy that you do?

“I’m very creative so I love doing different things all the time. The radio is a joy because it’s a relationship with the listeners. I love that huge lift from feedback and hearing you’ve entertained or touched people’s emotions or memories through what you play.

“Over the years, I’ve written stage musicals, books including poetry, crime and historical novels, and am working on my 41st book.

“Recently we brought back Pop Quiz for a special lockdown show. It was a real buzz to revive what was a weekend tradition for generations of pop fans from when it first started in the Eighties.”

How do you look after your health?

“Working out at the gym, jogging, and long distance walking for charity. Tennis is my addiction. I’ve been lucky enough to play with some of the world’s great players – Martina Navratilova, Ilie Nastase and Rod Laver – but only because I’ve taken part in Sir Cliff Richard’s tournaments for his charity tennis foundation over the years!

“I’m only a social drinker and so haven’t drunk during the lockdown. They used to think I was a bit odd at Radio 1, because I was never really a party animal. The head of music once said to me: ‘Your idea of fun is having people over for a game of croquet, afternoon tea and then you’ll read some poetry – you’re not particularly Radio 1!’”

How do you look after your wellbeing?

“I work and stay busy – I’d never retire – it would be crazy to stop doing what I love. I’m a fairly buoyant character and not someone who delves into themselves or broods on things.

“I do, though, remember one occasion surviving a near-death car crash on a motorway – and the next day going for a run in the rain and feeling so grateful to be alive that I wanted to shout out to everyone passing: ‘Look, I’m still here!’

“Embracing new things is really something I believe in, which is why I appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2004. It’s important never to stand still, so life stays interesting. I always look forward not back, which is why ageing doesn’t bother me in the slightest.”

United DJs is available to stream or access via a free app. For more information, visit uniteddj.com.