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Old 27th Sep 2020, 2:11 pm   #1
nicam49
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Default Keith Skues bowing out tonight

Hi All, stumbled across this on the BBC News website:
https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/uk-engl...mpression=true

So I've been listening to his penultimate show from 13th Sep, which turns out to be a potted history of his broadcasting life... Well worth a listen and too good not to share with you all:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08qdv51
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Old 27th Sep 2020, 3:20 pm   #2
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

Whole swathes of this programming, which was stealthily being removed before CV-19, have now gone from BBC local radio. I think they decided to allow Keith Skues get to 500 shows before pulling the plug.

This comment is most telling:

On his decision to retire, Skues said: “Because of coronavirus, the whole system has changed and they're wanting to go for a younger audience.”

I met Keith Skues some years ago – a nice bloke.

Perhaps he’ll turn up somewhere else as with some others of the old-school who have been squeezed out. Even back to Caroline as they now have three stations (648, Flashback and a new community station in Essex) serving his neck of the woods.
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Old 27th Sep 2020, 3:43 pm   #3
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

Yes, I heard about this - bad news!

I'll try to listen tonight...I missed most of last weeks show due to falling asleep.
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Old 27th Sep 2020, 5:44 pm   #4
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

I was just logging-on to give this a mention.

Keith has a wide fan base, with on-line listeners regularly messaging from Canada, plus Chris with his 'Wireless of the Week'.

Hoping to stay awake 'til the end- that's not due to to the content, but I usually have to be up at 05:00 Monday mornings.

SR
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Old 27th Sep 2020, 5:51 pm   #5
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

To be fair, he must be getting on a bit these days. All DJs have to hang up the headphones eventually.
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Old 27th Sep 2020, 6:00 pm   #6
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

Keith Skues MBE is 81: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Skues
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Old 27th Sep 2020, 7:43 pm   #7
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

Quote:
Originally Posted by Techman View Post
Yes, I heard about this - bad news!

I'll try to listen tonight...I missed most of last weeks show due to falling asleep.
Don't worry he wasn't on last week! His last show was 13Sep which is well worth listening to on BBC Sounds.
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Old 27th Sep 2020, 8:45 pm   #8
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

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Originally Posted by paulsherwin View Post
To be fair, he must be getting on a bit these days. All DJs have to hang up the headphones eventually.
Keith's 81 - a mere slip of a lad.

Brian Matthew signed off (or, rather, was given some assistance to find the door) at 89.

Desmond Carrington finished at 90

Jimmy Young made his last appearance at 95.

I miss them all.
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Old 27th Sep 2020, 11:12 pm   #9
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

Hi!

The choice of music he played on his final Sunday Night Series "Skuse Me" and his previous daily late shows was second to none, covering all ages and genres – I used to record many episodes on cassette to play in the car on my excursions, but successive moves of accommodation and cheap car–players gradually resulted in them all being lost or destroyed, I have about 20–30 transcoded to MP3 and that's about it!

I think the least the BBC should do is make the downloads of "Skuse Me" available again as a tribute to him!

Chris Williams
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Old 28th Sep 2020, 1:52 pm   #10
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

Quote:
Originally Posted by nicam49 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Techman View Post
Yes, I heard about this - bad news!

I'll try to listen tonight...I missed most of last week's show due to falling asleep.
Don't worry he wasn't on last week! His last show was 13Sep which is well worth listening to on BBC Sounds.
You made me laugh there, typical me!

Whatever was on last week I obviously slept through the whole lot and a lot of the actual show that was on the week before!

Listened to all last nights show other than missing the first half hour.
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Old 28th Sep 2020, 2:48 pm   #11
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

Retiring. That will please the BBC. On another site there were comments about all the older presenters not fitting in with their idea to attract a younger audience.
However, along with other not so young presenters, Keith has stood the test of time.
I bet his salary is not objectionable either! But I won't go there so as not to want to stray OT.

I wish him a well deserved " retirement".
Rob
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Old 28th Sep 2020, 3:30 pm   #12
nicam49
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

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Originally Posted by Techman View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by nicam49 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Techman View Post
Yes, I heard about this - bad news!

I'll try to listen tonight...I missed most of last week's show due to falling asleep.
Don't worry he wasn't on last week! His last show was 13Sep which is well worth listening to on BBC Sounds.
You made me laugh there, typical me!

Whatever was on last week I obviously slept through the whole lot and a lot of the actual show that was on the week before!

Listened to all last nights show other than missing the first half hour.
Sorry! Got it wrong... he WAS on after all. I downloaded it after I sobered up. Strange that he's not really billed on BBC Sounds by name unless you type his name into the search box.
He's still got a great radio voice. Like Michael Gove, by his own admission has got a great radio face!
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Old 28th Sep 2020, 4:11 pm   #13
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

I used to listen to Skues back in the late sixties and recall him getting in to some very, very amusing handovers with the presenter whom he took over from, or past on to. However, I cannot recall the other guys name, but at the time, he must have been quite elderly. Anyone know who I'm thinking of?

B
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Old 28th Sep 2020, 5:41 pm   #14
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

Alan 'Fluff' Freeman?
Tho' he wasn't great at repartee and I recall he had an afternoon show following Johnny Walker (Fluff that is)
.... We need a vintage Radio Times!
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Old 28th Sep 2020, 6:34 pm   #15
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

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Originally Posted by robinshack View Post
Retiring. That will please the BBC. On another site there were comments about all the older presenters not fitting in with their idea to attract a younger audience.
I have read elsewhere that it wasn't his decision.

I have read the same about other BBC Local presenters who have seen their shows 'rested', and also Don Black who I think does his final R2 show this coming Sunday.

John Hellings, whose jazz show disappeared from BBC Stoke, Shropshire and Hereford & Worcester at lockdown, has turned up on Serenade Radio.

When the specialist BBC Local radio shows were suspended due to CV19 I knew I'd heard the last – especially if they were a 'non-pop' genre or of a type that generally appealed to an older audience.
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Old 28th Sep 2020, 7:47 pm   #16
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bazz4CQJ View Post
I used to listen to Skues back in the late sixties and recall him getting in to some very, very amusing handovers with the presenter whom he took over from, or past on to. However, I cannot recall the other guys name, but at the time, he must have been quite elderly. Anyone know who I'm thinking of?

B
I think it was Roger Moffatt. Took a while on Google to find him.
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Old 28th Sep 2020, 8:18 pm   #17
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

Hi,

I’ve met Keith quite a few times at various events like pirate BBC Essex, which were held at Harwich and he was a really decent chap.

He often refers to making radios in his younger days using 6J7 and 6V6 valves.

Regards
Terry
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Old 7th Dec 2020, 6:45 pm   #18
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

Hi All, had an email back from Keith, what a gent! Thought I'd share it with you:-

Quote:
Thank you so much for your most kind email that has been forwarded on to me at Skues Towers.

Yes, 27 September 2020 was indeed a very sad day. having to say au revoir on the BBC airwaves.

Earlier this week The BBC has made contact - well, one of the managerial staff in Norwich - to see if I will be available over the Christmas holidays. I await more information. I guess it would be a ‘one- off’ show, but that would please me greatly.

You say you have been listening to me since Day One of Radio One. My career goes back even further British Forces Network in Germany from 1959; thence to Nairiobi, East Africa and Aden with Forces Radio. Another highlight was in the 1960s to the days of ‘watery wireless’. Once upon a golden time, pirate radio ruled the airwaves and provided a timeless soundtrack to the 1960s with many young disc jockeys who broadcast a feast of non-stop hit records and hummable tunes.

During those offshore radio days of the mid 1960s I was one of those DJs but slightly older (aged 25 years) than the rest of the broadcasters. But there again many of our listeners were in that age bracket.

Eventually Radio One came along in 1967, but within two years I was too old for that network and moved to Radio 2 as a staff announcer. That was an interesting period in my life and it lasted 5 years, prior to me setting up Radio Hallam (commercial radio in Sheffield).

I was also a reservist in the RAF (having done National Service 1958-1960) and went down to the Falklands in the 1980s, followed by Gulf War 1 in Saudi Arabia in the 1990s.

On return to England I was posted to RAF Marham, Norfolk where (on one occasion) I met management of Radio Norfolk who offered me a job as a radio presenter when I had completed my time with the RAF. This came about in 1995 and I have been here ever since, presenting late night shows on a Sunday across the Eastern Counties.

In March this year the Corona Virus Pandemic hit the UK and the BBC changed its radio format. My show was taken off on 22 March, but I was allowed back in August to complete my 500 shows. With all the changes I thought it was time to call it a day. And so having reached programme No.500 (27 September) I said my farewells.

The response from listeners regarding my leaving has been unbelievable totalling many hundreds of emails, not to mention phone calls, and letters.

May I wish you every good fortune for the future and to thank you once again for taking the trouble to drop me a line.

Kind regards,

Keith
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Old 7th Dec 2020, 8:13 pm   #19
Junk Box Nick
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

Having met Keith Skues at offshore radio events, the response is typical of the man. I, indeed, found him to be a true gent.
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Old 26th Dec 2020, 12:18 am   #20
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Default Re: Keith Skues bowing out tonight

He's back!.. for two Xmas progs.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p090pzxb

The 1st was on Radio Norfolk on Xmas Eve at 10pm, his 2nd show is next Monday 28th at 3pm for 3 hours, and he's picked some quirky tunes by the sounds of things.

Last edited by nicam49; 26th Dec 2020 at 12:28 am.
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