BILL STEEL'S RADIO AND TV DAYS

ByANDY FLEMING

WEBMASTER

Thursday morning proved much more interesting than usual for a couple of reasons for both myself and visitors to this website.

One of the Metro Radio 261MW 97VHF Tribute Website visitors, Matthew Gulliver of Rotherham asked whether I would be willing to take a listen to Radio Tyneside, a hospital radio service for Newcastle-upon-Tyne and surrounding areas. This radio station has been broadcasting to the hospital communities in the Tyneside area via closed circuit headphone and now via the internet and 1575kHz AM/medium wave since 1951.

North East broadcasting legend Bill Steel was being interviewed by Radio Tyneside presenter Dave Nicholson about his broadcasting career and Matthew was wondering if I could record the output of the station for both himself and Bill. Of course I didn't have to be asked twice, and thought it would make good feature for sharing with you on this website too.

So here he is then, Bill Steel talking about his fascinating career acting, and presenting both on radio and television. Bill of course worked for Tyne Tees Television (ITV) serving the north east of England since the early sixties as a continuity announcer, eventually graduating to the position of chief announcer and presenter of Today at Six and Northern Life. Also working in television in for ATV Manchester and the Midlands, he presented Metro Radio's very popular Breakfast Show during the seventies. 

Bill Steel playing the role of Bernard McKenna on Granada ITV's ever-popular soap Coronation Street (Episode 4169; Air Date: March 31, 1997). Image courtesy of Corriepedia.

Bill also presented on Century Radio North East in the nineties, and is known nationwide for playing the role of Bernard McKenna in ITV's Coronation Street for eight months.

Bill Steel interviewed by Dave Nicholson, Hospital Radio Tyneside, June 6, 2014. Apologies for the audio quality of the recording due to problems with my mixer software, and not the source.

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