Stephen Rhodes
Encyclopedia
Stephen Rhodes is a former weekday daytime presenter on BBC Three Counties Radio
. He originally hosted the Consumer Programme from 10am until 1.30pm, but moved to the breakfast show from 6 to 9am. However, after his breakfast show on Tuesday 16 March 2010, he handed his resignation in to the radio station and has left with immediate effect, as he prepared to stand as an independent candidate at the 2010 UK general election.
Rhodes originates from Dublin, Ireland
and is now a resident of the United Kingdom
where he is Dad to Nick, Beck Sam and Jack.
in 1980, before moving to Beacon Radio in Wolverhampton and then WABC (now called Classic Gold WABC
) in the early 1990s.
Rhodes then joined BBC Radio Shropshire
as Breakfast Show host where he won the first of many Sony Radio Academy Awards. In early 1994, Rhodes took over the weekday mid-morning show on the station. He remained on the slot until mid 1995, when Rhodes turned up at BBC Three Counties Radio, presenting a consumer programme 5 days a week. In the course of his time on the consumer programme he became well known for his undercover work which won him a number of National Radio Academy Awards.
for Granada Television
as relief presenter for Richard Madeley
from 1994 to 1997. He was also the presenter of the Politics Programme for the Eastern Region, BBC for four years. He has also presented and continues to present occasional documentaries/reports for both BBC East and BBC London
Television.
He was the voice of Family Fortunes
from 1987 until 1999. He has also been the voice-over for many radio and television commercials prior to him joining the BBC.
Stephen Rhodes was also a newspaper columnist and regular contributor to a number of newspapers in the Midlands prior to him joining the BBC. He currently writes for local newspapers in Luton, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard and Hemel Hempstead.
He has also won 5 Local Radio 'Gillard Awards'
candidate for the Luton South
parliamentary constituency in the general election, following the expenses controversies of the constituency's former MP Margaret Moran
. As the BBC is a neutral broadcaster, they cannot allow any of their presenters to have any political interests that may influence listeners.
BBC Three Counties Radio
BBC Three Counties Radio is the BBC Local Radio service for the English counties of Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire...
. He originally hosted the Consumer Programme from 10am until 1.30pm, but moved to the breakfast show from 6 to 9am. However, after his breakfast show on Tuesday 16 March 2010, he handed his resignation in to the radio station and has left with immediate effect, as he prepared to stand as an independent candidate at the 2010 UK general election.
Rhodes originates from Dublin, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and is now a resident of the United Kingdom
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...
where he is Dad to Nick, Beck Sam and Jack.
Radio
Rhodes started his broadcasting career at Dublin pirate radio station "ARD Radio" at the end of the '70s, moving over to the UK and Birmingham radio station BRMBBrmb
brmb is a local radio station based in Birmingham, UK, owned and operated by Orion Media. The station broadcasts on 96.4 FM, DAB Digital Radio in the West Midlands and online...
in 1980, before moving to Beacon Radio in Wolverhampton and then WABC (now called Classic Gold WABC
Classic Gold WABC
Classic Gold WABC was a United Kingdom radio station, broadcasting to much of Wolverhampton and Shropshire from studios in Dunstable. Regional news, weather, events and community information, local advertising and a four-hour live weekday regional programme came from a studio centre in...
) in the early 1990s.
Rhodes then joined BBC Radio Shropshire
BBC Radio Shropshire
BBC Radio Shropshire is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Shropshire. Launched on 23 April 1985 it broadcasts from its studios in Shrewsbury on 96 , 90 , 95 , 104.1 FM and DAB...
as Breakfast Show host where he won the first of many Sony Radio Academy Awards. In early 1994, Rhodes took over the weekday mid-morning show on the station. He remained on the slot until mid 1995, when Rhodes turned up at BBC Three Counties Radio, presenting a consumer programme 5 days a week. In the course of his time on the consumer programme he became well known for his undercover work which won him a number of National Radio Academy Awards.
Television
Rhodes' television credits include presenting Central Weekend live on a number of occasions as well as presenting This MorningThis Morning (TV series)
This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
for Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
as relief presenter for Richard Madeley
Richard Madeley
Richard Madeley is a British television presenter and columnist. With his wife Judy Finnigan, Madeley has presented This Morning and later the weekday chat show Richard & Judy...
from 1994 to 1997. He was also the presenter of the Politics Programme for the Eastern Region, BBC for four years. He has also presented and continues to present occasional documentaries/reports for both BBC East and BBC London
BBC London
BBC London is the BBC English Region producing local radio, television, teletext and online services in London and parts of the surrounding area. Its output includes the daily BBC London News and the weekly Politics Show on television, the BBC London 94.9 radio station and local coverage of the...
Television.
He was the voice of Family Fortunes
Family Fortunes
Family Fortunes is a British game show, based on the American game show Family Feud. The programme ran on ITV from 6 January 1980 to 6 December 2002 before being revived by the same channel in 2006 under the title of All Star Family Fortunes...
from 1987 until 1999. He has also been the voice-over for many radio and television commercials prior to him joining the BBC.
Stephen Rhodes was also a newspaper columnist and regular contributor to a number of newspapers in the Midlands prior to him joining the BBC. He currently writes for local newspapers in Luton, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard and Hemel Hempstead.
Sony Awards
- 1993 Speech based Breakfast Show - Bronze
- 1998 The Stephen Rhodes Show, Daytime Talk - Silver
- 1999 The Stephen Rhodes Consumer programme, Daytime Talk/News - Bronze
- 2001 Interactive - Gold
- 2001 Short Form Award - Bronze
- 2003 Speech Broadcaster of the year - Nominee
- 2005 Speech Broadcaster of the Year - Bronze
He has also won 5 Local Radio 'Gillard Awards'
Political career
Stephen Rhodes announced to the press on the afternoon of Tuesday 16 March 2010 that he had quit his radio presenter job to become an independentIndependent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
candidate for the Luton South
Luton South (UK Parliament constituency)
Luton South is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
parliamentary constituency in the general election, following the expenses controversies of the constituency's former MP Margaret Moran
Margaret Moran
Margaret Moran is a former Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. She was the Member of Parliament for Luton South from 1997 to 2010....
. As the BBC is a neutral broadcaster, they cannot allow any of their presenters to have any political interests that may influence listeners.