Radio on hold....thankful to those in the early days

So this is what Sunday is like!

It is 2 December and it feels strange. Today has been the first Sunday where I have not worked in about 8 years!  Normally I would be presenting a radio show. Whilst many hate working on a Sunday, I much prefer it! I had better get used to it because for the time being the radio career is on hold. Thursday just gone was my last show on the radio (hopefully not forever).

An impressive 13 year run working as a full time radio presenter has come to a pause. I am really proud of my achievements so far in my career. Working at some of the biggest radio stations in the country, in various locations including Southampton, Nottingham, London, Birmingham and Stoke-On-Trent.

One thing I never forget is every single person that has given me a break, or given me a job on their station. I have had some incredible work colleagues and some amazing bosses. Certainly in my early career I am more than thankful for those who gave me a chance. Some are mentioned below.

So let's go back to the beginning.

My first 'full time' radio job was in September 1999. Although I had presented on other radio stations for a few years before that (some paid, some not)  it was Win 107.2fm (In Winchester) that gave me my first 'full time' radio job. Previously I had was mixing work at a radio station with working in a petrol station / in a pub.

Funnily enough, I did not actually apply for work at Win 107.2 . I sent a demo tape to a radio station called Spire FM in Salisbury. I had a letter back from the boss Ken Rayner saying 'We are launching a radio station in Winchester, would you like to talk to us about joining?'.  I was tempted of course, but at the time I was working at a big radio station called Wave 105. Reading sport at the weekend, covering odd shifts here and there. Would joining a brand new station be a step back?  I asked advice from a colleague at Wave 105 called Matt Hopper. This was a guy I grew up listening to and admired as a broadcaster. We met in a country pub just up the road to the radio station. He said it was a good idea to go. I remember he said 'sometimes you have to go to come back'. I took on Matt's advice and took the job in Winchester. Ken (The programme controller at Win 107.2) asked me  'Have you ever read news before?.  'No' I said 'but I'll give it a go'.   My first full time job in radio was presenting a 30 minute news programme at 6am then continue reading news throughout the breakfast show, THEN presenting my own show between 10am-1pm.  So my working day was basically 5am until 1pm. My alarm was set for 3am everyday! Very painful I admit, but soon got used to it. I have to say, the money was pretty poor, but it was a brand new radio station and it was a foot in the door for a radio career. I do not have any regrets what so ever.

I felt very proud of helping launch a radio station. It was so much fun and one the best periods of my life (not just career). Something that others cannot replicate. Simon Norton was on breakfast, a very funny northerner, with bags of personality. Phil Stocks was on the drive show. Phil was the most organised person I every worked with. A total perfectionist. A top guy.  Ken Rayner recorded the evening show.

Sadly my time was short lived at the station, after 9 months the station wanted to change things and I was let go. I was called into the office and told 'that was your last show'.  That was my first experience of feeling pretty downbeat about my career. What do I do next? Do I have to work in the pub again?  That very day, I rang Ocean FM and asked to speak to Mark Sadler (The boss)  he took my call. I was very surprised, as you don't normally ring a programme controller asking for work! Mark asked me to send a demo as he may have some shifts at Christmas! I sent the tape in. Mark was good to his word and included me on his Christmas schedule. Now for me, this was what dreams were made of. Ocean FM was the most famous station in the area. A radio station I grew up listening to as a kid and a young adult. To be working there was literally a dream come true. So Christmas arrived, I hosted a few evening shows on the station. Nervous as hell, but very proud to be there at a young age. The one thing I remember about that time was that Mark sent an email saying, 'I have filled the fridge with food for those who are working over the festive period'. I felt so in awe of being at the station, I didn't feel I had the right to eat a sausage roll from the fridge!

People like Ken, Mark and Matt are people I still have contact with and have so much respect for. Maybe they don't know how thankful I am to them? Those tiny decisions in their work day/words of advice have lead me to having a great career that I will always look back on with fond memories.

I'll write up about the next part of my radio career later, so please check back, subscribe or follow me on twitter @AndyMartindale