Mike Dickin
Encyclopedia
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
. He was given the morning show slot soon afterwards, and then moved to the 10pm to 1am show on weekends before his death. He was apparently known as the King by his fans due to his resemblance to King Henry VIII
however this has been disputed and he was certainly never called by this name on his radio show in recent times.
Starting out as a musician in the 1960s, Dickin was a bass player and singer who found he preferred playing records to making them when he joined the BBC
in 1970 as the first presenter on air at Radio Oxford. In 1977, Dickin moved to Australia
where he worked for Sydney
's biggest radio station, 2UE
. Upon returning to the UK in the late '70s he spent 17 years working for BBC Radio 4
, LBC
and Capital Radio
. He started at Talksport (then Talk Radio UK) in 1995 taking over from Nick Miller.
Dickin was on air in the UK overnight when news of the car crash which subsequently killed Diana, Princess of Wales
was broken, and he was still on air to make the announcement of her death as a newsflash. Audio of this broadcast can be heard from the external links section.
Dickin was famous for his strongly held views. His passion led to him being labeled "Britain's angriest man" by talkSPORT listeners. Typical discussions on his show included crime, cars, trains, taxis, the problems of young people, the downfall of Britain, the incompetence of people in the service industry, speed cameras, parking tickets and call centres. He was also known for his catchphrases, such as "My health is not in question" when asked how he was. Other catchphrases include: "If you were constipated, you'd be speechless", "I've had a gutful...", "You don't have two brain cells to rub together", "You couldn't make it up", and "If your brains were made of dynamite, there wouldn't be enough to blow your hat off". He also played on his image as a ladies man. He liked Nicole from the Renault Clio adverts (in the late 1990s) and Diana, Princess of Wales.
A staunch atheist, Dickin's last show was all about the afterlife
and the existence of God.
Mike Dickin was killed in a car crash while driving on the A30
near his home in Cornwall
, on December 18, 2006, at the age of 63. Fellow talkSPORT presenter James Whale
presented his tribute show. Mike left a wife (second marriage) and 5 children, including two from his first marriage.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
station 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....
. 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
James Whale (radio)
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.-Early life:Whale was born...
during James' battle with kidney cancer
Kidney 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...
. He was given the morning show slot soon afterwards, and then moved to the 10pm to 1am show on weekends before his death. He was apparently known as the King by his fans due to his resemblance to King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
however this has been disputed and he was certainly never called by this name on his radio show in recent times.
Starting out as a musician in the 1960s, Dickin was a bass player and singer who found he preferred playing records to making them when he joined the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 1970 as the first presenter on air at Radio Oxford. In 1977, Dickin moved to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
where he worked for Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
's biggest radio station, 2UE
2UE
2UE is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia owned by Fairfax Media. It is Sydney's and Australia's oldest commercial radio station, first broadcasting on 26 January 1925 on 1025 kHz AM before moving to 950 kHz in 1935 when virtually all Australian radio stations were assigned new...
. Upon returning to the UK in the late '70s he spent 17 years working for BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
, 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...
and Capital Radio
Capital Radio
Capital London is a London based radio station which launched on 16 October 1973 and is owned by Global Radio. On 3 January 2011 it formed part of the nine station Capital radio network.- Pre-launch :...
. He started at Talksport (then Talk Radio UK) in 1995 taking over from Nick Miller.
Dickin was on air in the UK overnight when news of the car crash which subsequently killed Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
was broken, and he was still on air to make the announcement of her death as a newsflash. Audio of this broadcast can be heard from the external links section.
Dickin was famous for his strongly held views. His passion led to him being labeled "Britain's angriest man" by talkSPORT listeners. Typical discussions on his show included crime, cars, trains, taxis, the problems of young people, the downfall of Britain, the incompetence of people in the service industry, speed cameras, parking tickets and call centres. He was also known for his catchphrases, such as "My health is not in question" when asked how he was. Other catchphrases include: "If you were constipated, you'd be speechless", "I've had a gutful...", "You don't have two brain cells to rub together", "You couldn't make it up", and "If your brains were made of dynamite, there wouldn't be enough to blow your hat off". He also played on his image as a ladies man. He liked Nicole from the Renault Clio adverts (in the late 1990s) and Diana, Princess of Wales.
A staunch atheist, Dickin's last show was all about the afterlife
Afterlife
The afterlife is the belief that a part of, or essence of, or soul of an individual, which carries with it and confers personal identity, survives the death of the body of this world and this lifetime, by natural or supernatural means, in contrast to the belief in eternal...
and the existence of God.
Mike Dickin was killed in a car crash while driving on the A30
A30 road
The 284 miles A30 road from London to Land's End, historically known as the Great South West Road used to provide the most direct route from London to the south west; more recently the M3 motorway and A303 road performs this function for much of the route and only parts of A30 now retain trunk...
near his home in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, on December 18, 2006, at the age of 63. Fellow talkSPORT presenter James Whale
James Whale (radio)
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.-Early life:Whale was born...
presented his tribute show. Mike left a wife (second marriage) and 5 children, including two from his first marriage.
External links
- TalkSport presenter Mike Dickin has died, Press Gazette coverage of death
- Radio host Dickin dies in crash, BBC News article about his death
- Audio of Mike Dickin's newsflash on death of Diana, Princess of Wales, extracted from the MHP Media Service, at www.meldrum.co.uk/mhp/