Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

The 17th of January 1983, is a key date in my life. It was the day Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Cornwall and Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Devon took to the airwaves, and as a teenager who'd grown up in Cornwall and who was desperate for a career in broadcasting, I couldn't wait for the moment Chris Blount welcomed listeners to the new service.

I got up early that morning, well before anyone else in the house, and waited for the station to come on air. It was also the day Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Breakfast Time television started, so with one eye on the TV and both ears listening to the radio I was there at the start of a radio service that was to eventually play a huge part in my life.

From the moment the boards went up around the construction site of the new studios at Phoenix Wharf in Truro I couldn't believe the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ was coming to my home city.

Brenda Wootten was a household favourite

For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated by broadcasting, but during my childhood the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ seemed to be a very distant organisation. Then suddenly the presenters and programmes were just down the road.

The fun and enjoyment which came over the airwaves from Coast to Coast with Chris, to Ken Snowdon and his wicked sense of humour later in the morning and Duncan Warren in the afternoon, only furthered my desire to work in broadcasting.

Suddenly I was hearing place names I recognised; towns and villages I had visited, people I knew. It was a constant source of surprise and delight.

I remember the station's very first open day. I was so nervous as a queued up with hundreds of other people to finally go inside a building I'd wanted to know so much about, and then to meet some of the presenters.

I still have the very first Radio Cornwall magazine with autographs from some of the presenters including Brenda Wootton. Brenda's Sunday request programme had become a family favourite in our household and we even wrote in to get a request played.

I can't tell you how exciting it was to wait with anticipation for our names to be read out. Little did I know at the time that I would later go on to produce Brenda's programme.Μύ I was Justin "twiddling the knobs", as Brenda used to put it.Μύ

Towards the end of my time at school we were asked where we would like to spend two weeks on work experience. I wanted to go to Radio Cornwall, sadly they couldn't take on any trainees at the time and I spent a very dull two weeks in an estate agents office.

In his current role with Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Spotlight

However, persistence paid off, and after gaining some experience at Truro Hospital Radio I persuaded Gary Whitford, who was presenting a Sunday afternoon programme called "Fast Forward", to let me help him log records and make him tea.

That was it, I had a foot in the door and within 18 months Gary left and I was asked to present Fast Forward. We played music from local bands, featured a gig guide andΜύ new releases from well known groups.

I had ten happy years at Radio Cornwall and was involved in some major programmes. I remember driving to Twickenham for Cornwall's rugby final. I had to take Freddie Zapp with me and somewhere near Stonehenge he produced a huge Cornwall flag which he then flew through the sun roof of the car.

For me the thrill was working alongside people I had been listening too since Radio Cornwall had started. The biggest honour for me was being asked to present Coast to Coast. This was the very first programme on Radio Cornwall 25 years ago, the one I got up early to hear on that January day in 1983 and now at the age of just 24 I was being asked to follow on from Chris Blount and Tamsin Thomas.

What stands out for me looking back over 25 years is the huge affection the audience has for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Cornwall. When I left to come to Spotlight I received a huge number of cards and gifts and listeners turned up at Phoenix Wharf to say goodbye. Thank you for the last 25 years and Happy Birthday Radio Cornwall.