James Whale (radio)
Encyclopedia
Michael "James" Whale is a British radio and television host. He is known for his plain-speaking, often ascerbic and confrontational, broadcasting style; during phone-ins he frequently hangs up on callers he disagrees with or who do not make their point quickly enough.
in Surrey, and was brought up by his Welsh
mother and English father, who owned a pub.
in Surrey
. It subsequently became a co-educational comprehensive school, and was renamed Longmead County Secondary School. The School closed in the early 1990s.
for ITV
. In 1995, he hosted The James Whale Show on TalkSport
until he was sacked in 2008 after urging his listeners to elect Boris Johnson
as Mayor of London
. He presented on bid tv
before returning to the airwaves on LBC
in London.
in Newcastle
, the first presenter of the Nightowls evening phone-in from the station's launch in 1974. He moved to Radio Derby to host a morning phone-in, working with Terry Christian
, who became a colleague at talkSPORT.
In 1982, Whale joined Radio Aire in Leeds
to host the night talk show. He was promoted to the breakfast show hosting 'Wake Up The Whale Way' but soon moved back to the late show. In 1987 he recorded 'Whaley Rap' and 'Wrap It Up For Xmas' and by late 1987 his show was simulcast with Red Rose Radio
from Preston, Lancashire - both part of Trans World Communications
, owned by Owen Oyston
. In 1989 his single 'Bimbo' entered the UK Top 100 singles. The 'B' side, 'A Big Big Egg', was the end theme for his TV show.
In 1989 Whale had his first TV show, The James Whale Radio Show, broadcast in a late-night slot on ITV
, Radio Aire and Red Rose Radio
. It was live, including interviews and phone-ins in which Whale often treated callers and guests with characteristic short shrift. Conservative MP Jerry Hayes
had a regular slot in the show. The show was moved to later and later slots, well into the early hours of the morning. The Superstation
took over the overnight schedule for Radio Aire in 1990 and Whale moved to the ITV studios to present "Whale On".
In 1994, Whale presented a weekend afternoon show on LBC
in London. He also presented The Blue Whale on Men and Motors.
from 1995 to 2008, and a 10pm-1am programme. Whale was often called to anchor special broadcasts. On 21 December 2006, Whale presented The Mike Dickin
Tribute Show, dedicated to a fellow talkSport presenter who had died in a car accident.
The James Whale Show featured as guests celebrities such as Derek Acorah
, Jodie Marsh
, David Icke
, Nick Pope
, Alex Jones
, David Shayler
, Lembit Öpik
, Myleene Klass
, Peter Stringfellow
and Alistair McGowan
. Another regular guest was 1970s famous psychic Uri Geller
. Whale's friend Bernard Manning
would often telephone on his way from gigs. On two occasions, Whale and American talk host Tom Leykis
co-hosted shows that ran simultaneously as episodes of both their programmes.
before the 2008 London mayoral elections. Ofcom
fined Talksport £20,000, saying he had "seriously breached the due impartiality rules at the time of an election".
. However, on 2 September 2008 Whale said on air he was leaving Play Radio for book promotion and TV work. He said he would continue his blog .
After standing in for Clive Bull
on LBC 97.3 for six days in August 2008, Whale covered for Nick Abbot
for two weeks from 29 September 2008 on LBC.
Whale presents a show on LBC. http://www.lbc.co.uk/whale-takes-over-lbc-drivetime-show-4417
and said on air why he would be leaving. He survived, and says it affected his outlook on life. Whale founded the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer in 2006 to fund research and raise awareness of the disease. Through the James Whale Network sufferers or carers can contact and speak to other survivors of kidney cancer.
Whale has often spoken of his dyslexia
and is a patron
of the National Literacy Association.
programme on 26 April 2007 on BBC 2, broadcast simultaneously on talkSPORT
, in which he referred to two-week refuse pickup throughout the UK and the 'scandal' of global warming. Whale should have had a live link to the Newsnight studio, but due to a technical failure this was not possible. Whale announced he believed global warming was solely a natural phenomenon. He described recycling as a joke' and believed prisoners should sort rubbish and recyclable waste. When asked if Green councillors were a good idea, Whale replied 'I don't think Green anything's a good idea!'. Whale also often criticises politicians for jumping on the Green bandwagon, in particular Conservative Party
leader David Cameron
for his 'vote blue, go green' slogan, saying Cameron is 'not fit to govern'. Whale has often stated his admiration for Margaret Thatcher
but says he will no longer vote Conservative as long as David Cameron is the party's leader.
leader Nigel Farage
on his TalkSport show, Whale said that he was to run for election as UKIP candidate in the 2008 London Mayoral Election
, although he did not. Ofcom
had pointed out that Whale would, in fact, not be able to continue his radio show while being Mayor of London, something Whale was unaware of.
Early life
Whale was born in 1951 in the village of EwellEwell
Ewell is a village in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, close to the southern boundary of Greater London. It is located 14 miles south-south-west of Charing Cross and forms part of the suburbia that surrounds Greater London. Despite its growing population it is still referred to as a...
in Surrey, and was brought up by his Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
mother and English father, who owned a pub.
Education
Whale was educated at Longmead County Secondary Boys' School, which was informally known as 'Longmead Boys' School', a Secondary Modern School in EpsomEpsom
Epsom is a town in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England. Small parts of Epsom are in the Borough of Reigate and Banstead. The town is located south-south-west of Charing Cross, within the Greater London Urban Area. The town lies on the chalk downland of Epsom Downs.-History:Epsom lies...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. It subsequently became a co-educational comprehensive school, and was renamed Longmead County Secondary School. The School closed in the early 1990s.
Life and career
Whale first gained national prominence in the late 1980s with The James Whale Radio Show, a late-night programme produced by Yorkshire TelevisionYorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
. In 1995, he hosted The James Whale Show on TalkSport
TalkSPORT
Talksport , owned by UTV radio, is one of the United Kingdom's three terrestrial analogue Independent National Radio broadcasters, offering a sports and talk radio service broadcast from London to the United Kingdom....
until he was sacked in 2008 after urging his listeners to elect Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
as Mayor of London
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
. He presented on bid tv
Bid tv
Bid is a British television shopping channel based in the UK, that runs daily live reversed auctions. It was the first channel of its kind in the world. The channel first launched as Bid-Up.tv. The channel is owned by Bid Shopping.-Bid-Up.TV :...
before returning to the airwaves on LBC
LBC
LBC Radio operates two London-based radio stations, with news and talk formats. LBC was Britain's first legal commercial Independent Local Radio station, providing a service of news and information to London. It began broadcasting on 8 October 1973, a week ahead of Capital Radio...
in London.
Early radio and television career (1974–1995)
Whale started as a phone-in chat show host at Metro RadioMetro Radio
Metro Radio is an independent local radio station based in Newcastle upon Tyne and broadcasting to Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Northumberland. The station's output is principally contemporary pop and dance music...
in Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, the first presenter of the Nightowls evening phone-in from the station's launch in 1974. He moved to Radio Derby to host a morning phone-in, working with Terry Christian
Terry Christian
Terry Christian is a British television and radio presenter whose credits include Channel 4's late night Youth Entertainment show The Word and ITV1 moral issues talk show It's My Life...
, who became a colleague at talkSPORT.
In 1982, Whale joined Radio Aire in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
to host the night talk show. He was promoted to the breakfast show hosting 'Wake Up The Whale Way' but soon moved back to the late show. In 1987 he recorded 'Whaley Rap' and 'Wrap It Up For Xmas' and by late 1987 his show was simulcast with Red Rose Radio
Red Rose Radio
Red Rose Radio is the former name of two radio stations in Lancashire, England. Both are owned by the same company, although they now have different names:* 97.4 Rock FM, "contemporary" format, station has also been named Red Rose Rock FM...
from Preston, Lancashire - both part of Trans World Communications
Trans World Communications
Trans World Communications was the investment vehicle businessman Owen Oyston. It operated radio stations and played a part in the Miss World Beauty Pageant.-About:...
, owned by Owen Oyston
Owen Oyston
Owen John Oyston is a controversial self-made multimillionaire English businessman who is the majority owner of Blackpool F.C.. He was convicted of rape in 1996 and served three years of a six-year sentence in prison....
. In 1989 his single 'Bimbo' entered the UK Top 100 singles. The 'B' side, 'A Big Big Egg', was the end theme for his TV show.
In 1989 Whale had his first TV show, The James Whale Radio Show, broadcast in a late-night slot on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, Radio Aire and Red Rose Radio
Red Rose Radio
Red Rose Radio is the former name of two radio stations in Lancashire, England. Both are owned by the same company, although they now have different names:* 97.4 Rock FM, "contemporary" format, station has also been named Red Rose Rock FM...
. It was live, including interviews and phone-ins in which Whale often treated callers and guests with characteristic short shrift. Conservative MP Jerry Hayes
Jerry Hayes
Jeremy Joseph James Hayes, known as Jerry Hayes, is a British former Conservative politician, the MP for Harlow in Essex from 1983 until 1997. He subsequently returned to practising criminal law.-Political career:...
had a regular slot in the show. The show was moved to later and later slots, well into the early hours of the morning. The Superstation
The Superstation
The Superstation was set up as an over-night sustaining service for Independent Local Radio...
took over the overnight schedule for Radio Aire in 1990 and Whale moved to the ITV studios to present "Whale On".
In 1994, Whale presented a weekend afternoon show on LBC
LBC
LBC Radio operates two London-based radio stations, with news and talk formats. LBC was Britain's first legal commercial Independent Local Radio station, providing a service of news and information to London. It began broadcasting on 8 October 1973, a week ahead of Capital Radio...
in London. He also presented The Blue Whale on Men and Motors.
TalkSport (1995–2008)
Whale hosted phone-ins on talkSPORTTalkSPORT
Talksport , owned by UTV radio, is one of the United Kingdom's three terrestrial analogue Independent National Radio broadcasters, offering a sports and talk radio service broadcast from London to the United Kingdom....
from 1995 to 2008, and a 10pm-1am programme. Whale was often called to anchor special broadcasts. On 21 December 2006, Whale presented The Mike Dickin
Mike Dickin
Mike Dickin , was a late-night host on the British radio station talkSPORT. Dickin used to present the 1am to 6am slot at weekends on Talk Radio UK from 1995 to 2001. He returned filling in for James Whale during James' battle with kidney cancer...
Tribute Show, dedicated to a fellow talkSport presenter who had died in a car accident.
The James Whale Show featured as guests celebrities such as Derek Acorah
Derek Acorah
Derek Acorah is a British medium. He is best known for his work on Most Haunted, broadcast on Living, between 2002 and 2005. He recently presented the series Derek Acorah on Sky Real Lives...
, Jodie Marsh
Jodie Marsh
Jodie Marsh is an English media personality, former glamour model and bodybuilder. She has appeared topless in many tabloid newspapers and has appeared in her own reality show, Totally Jodie Marsh.-Early life:...
, David Icke
David Icke
David Vaughan Icke is an English writer and public speaker, best known for his views on what he calls "who and what is really controlling the world." Describing himself as the most controversial speaker in the world, he has written 18 books explaining his position, and has attracted a substantial...
, Nick Pope
Nick Pope
Nick Pope worked for 21 years at the British Government's Ministry of Defence from 1985 to 2006. He is best-known for a job that he did from 1991 to 1994, where his duties included investigating reports of UFO sightings, to see if they had any defence significance...
, Alex Jones
Alex Jones (radio)
Alexander Emerick "Alex" Jones is an American talk radio host, actor and filmmaker. His syndicated news/talk show The Alex Jones Show, based in Austin, Texas, airs via the Genesis Communication Network over 60 AM, FM, and shortwave radio stations across the United States and on the Internet...
, David Shayler
David Shayler
David Shayler is a British journalist and former MI5 officer. Shayler earned notoriety after being prosecuted under the Official Secrets Act 1989 for his passing secret documents to the Mail on Sunday in August 1997 that alleged that MI5 was paranoid about socialists, and that it had previously...
, Lembit Öpik
Lembit Öpik
Lembit Öpik is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Montgomeryshire in Wales from 1997 until he lost his seat in the 2010 General Election...
, Myleene Klass
Myleene Klass
Myleene Angela Quinn is an English singer, pianist, media personality and occasional model. She was formerly a member of the defunct British pop band Hear'Say.-Early life:...
, Peter Stringfellow
Peter Stringfellow
Peter James Stringfellow is an English nightclub owner.-Early life:Stringfellow was born on 17 October 1940 to Elsie and James William Stringfellow , a steelworker...
and Alistair McGowan
Alistair McGowan
Alistair McGowan is a British impressionist, stand-up comic, actor, singer and writer best known to British audiences for The Big Impression , which was, for four years, one of BBC1's top-rating comedy programmes - winning numerous awards, including a BAFTA in 2003...
. Another regular guest was 1970s famous psychic Uri Geller
Uri Geller
Uri Geller is a self-proclaimed psychic known for his trademark television performances of spoon bending and other supposed psychic effects. Throughout the years, Geller has been accused of using simple conjuring tricks to achieve the effects of psychokinesis and telepathy...
. Whale's friend Bernard Manning
Bernard Manning
Bernard John Manning was an English comedian and nightclub owner. He was born and raised in Manchester in northwest England....
would often telephone on his way from gigs. On two occasions, Whale and American talk host Tom Leykis
Tom Leykis
Thomas Joseph Leykis is an American radio personality. He currently hosts The Tasting Room with Tom Leykis, a weekly lifestyle program dealing with fine food and drink, airing weekends mainly in West Coast markets...
co-hosted shows that ran simultaneously as episodes of both their programmes.
Sacking 2008
In May 2008, Whale was sacked because he twice called on listeners to vote for Boris JohnsonBoris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
before the 2008 London mayoral elections. Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
fined Talksport £20,000, saying he had "seriously breached the due impartiality rules at the time of an election".
LBC (2008–present)
On 7 May 2008 Whale said he would join Bid.tv. He continues to broadcast on JamesWhaleRadio.com. On 20 May 2008, Whale began a four-hour weekly evening phone-in on Internet radio station Play Radio UKPlay Radio UK
Play Radio UK was a British internet radio station based on the South Coast of England. Its output comprised two mainstream music radio streams, a talk radio stream, and several other genre-specific music streams...
. However, on 2 September 2008 Whale said on air he was leaving Play Radio for book promotion and TV work. He said he would continue his blog .
After standing in for Clive Bull
Clive Bull
Bull Clive is an award-winning radio talk show host, best known for presenting a late-night show on LBC 97.3 in London, England.-Background:...
on LBC 97.3 for six days in August 2008, Whale covered for Nick Abbot
Nick Abbot
Nick Abbot is a British radio presenter, who has presented on numarious radio station in the uk for past 20 years.-History:Nick Abbot was born 22 August 1960, and was educated at George Heriot's School, Edinburgh and Brunel University in Uxbridge where he gained a degree in psychology. Abbot's...
for two weeks from 29 September 2008 on LBC.
Whale presents a show on LBC. http://www.lbc.co.uk/whale-takes-over-lbc-drivetime-show-4417
Charitable work
In 2000, Whale was diagnosed with kidney cancerKidney cancer
Kidney cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the cells in the kidney.The two most common types of kidney cancer are renal cell carcinoma and urothelial cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis...
and said on air why he would be leaving. He survived, and says it affected his outlook on life. Whale founded the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer in 2006 to fund research and raise awareness of the disease. Through the James Whale Network sufferers or carers can contact and speak to other survivors of kidney cancer.
Whale has often spoken of his dyslexia
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a very broad term defining a learning disability that impairs a person's fluency or comprehension accuracy in being able to read, and which can manifest itself as a difficulty with phonological awareness, phonological decoding, orthographic coding, auditory short-term memory, or rapid...
and is a patron
Patrón
Patrón is a luxury brand of tequila produced in Mexico and sold in hand-blown, individually numbered bottles.Made entirely from Blue Agave "piñas" , Patrón comes in five varieties: Silver, Añejo, Reposado, Gran Patrón Platinum and Gran Patrón Burdeos. Patrón also sells a tequila-coffee blend known...
of the National Literacy Association.
Political beliefs
Whale participated in a live NewsnightNewsnight
Newsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
programme on 26 April 2007 on BBC 2, broadcast simultaneously on talkSPORT
TalkSPORT
Talksport , owned by UTV radio, is one of the United Kingdom's three terrestrial analogue Independent National Radio broadcasters, offering a sports and talk radio service broadcast from London to the United Kingdom....
, in which he referred to two-week refuse pickup throughout the UK and the 'scandal' of global warming. Whale should have had a live link to the Newsnight studio, but due to a technical failure this was not possible. Whale announced he believed global warming was solely a natural phenomenon. He described recycling as a joke' and believed prisoners should sort rubbish and recyclable waste. When asked if Green councillors were a good idea, Whale replied 'I don't think Green anything's a good idea!'. Whale also often criticises politicians for jumping on the Green bandwagon, in particular Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
leader David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
for his 'vote blue, go green' slogan, saying Cameron is 'not fit to govern'. Whale has often stated his admiration for Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
but says he will no longer vote Conservative as long as David Cameron is the party's leader.
2008 London Mayoral Election
After United Kingdom Independence PartyUnited Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
leader Nigel Farage
Nigel Farage
Nigel Paul Farage MEP , a position he previously held from September 2006 to November 2009. He is a current Member of the European Parliament for South East England and co-chairs the Eurosceptic Europe of Freedom and Democracy group....
on his TalkSport show, Whale said that he was to run for election as UKIP candidate in the 2008 London Mayoral Election
London mayoral election, 2008
The London mayoral election, 2008 for the office of Mayor of London was held on 1 May 2008 and was won by Conservative Party candidate Boris Johnson....
, although he did not. Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
had pointed out that Whale would, in fact, not be able to continue his radio show while being Mayor of London, something Whale was unaware of.