Radio 2 DJ John Dunn dies

[Mike Terry]

Ray Moore a few years ago, then John Peel recently , now John Dunn...the
Radio 2 legends are leaving us, its very sad....I remember John's relaxed
style and excellent interview technique on his evening shows.

This from BBC News:

John Dunn - one of the best known voices on BBC Radio 2 - has died following
a battle with cancer.

The 70-year-old presenter had been broadcasting on Radio 2 for more than 30
years and was named Radio Personality of the Year three times.

Born in Glasgow, he joined the network in 1967 and presented Breakfast
Special and Late Night Extra before settling into his Drivetime programme.

Radio 2 controller Lesley Douglas said Dunn would be "greatly missed".

She said: "John was one of the best known voices in Britain and was truly
the gentle giant of broadcasting.

"He had been with Radio 2 since its inception and his long and distinguished
career earned him an army of listeners.

"He will be remembered with enormous affection and will be greatly missed.

Paying tribute, fellow Radio 2 presenter Terry Wogan said: "What you saw was
what you got. "He was a gentle, good-humoured, even-tempered and extremely
fine broadcaster and a very, very nice man. "I know you're supposed to say
these things about people when they pass on but in John's case it's entirely
true.
"One feels a great loss that such a fine man has passed on and that we've
lost such a fine presenter."

Mr Dunn, who was married with two daughters and lived in Croydon, Surrey,
started his broadcasting career in the RAF before joining the BBC as a
studio manager and reading the news on the World Service.

He broadcast from around the world including Seoul, Singapore and Beijing,
but made radio history in 1996 when he aired his show live from Antarctica.

In 1998, Mr Dunn was awarded a Gold Sony Radio Award for the best Drivetime
Music Programme and continued working long into his retirement.

Speaking about his Drivetime success, he said: "After a long scratchy day at
the office, stuck in a traffic jam and it's raining, I just wanted to remind
listeners that 98% of people out there are extremely nice and we tend to
forget this."

[Slartibartfast]

Post by Mike Terry
Ray Moore a few years ago, then John Peel recently , now John Dunn...the
Radio 2 legends are leaving us, its very sad....I remember John's relaxed
style and excellent interview technique on his evening shows.

I think you're a bit misguided to call John Peel a Radio 2 legend, but I DO
agree about John Dunn.

I'm just the wrong side of 50, and I can vaguely remember hearing him in my
teens. After that I listened only occasionally (Radio 2 was rather uncool),
but when I did hear him he always sounded so professional and had an easy
way with his guests. If you'd had a bad day, it was good to listen to him
for reassurance that the world was still carrying on as normal. If you know
what I mean. He just seemed a nice man.

[Andy Clews]

Post by Slartibartfast
I'm just the wrong side of 50, and I can vaguely remember hearing him in my
teens. After that I listened only occasionally (Radio 2 was rather uncool),
but when I did hear him he always sounded so professional and had an easy
way with his guests. If you'd had a bad day, it was good to listen to him
for reassurance that the world was still carrying on as normal. If you know
what I mean. He just seemed a nice man.

I'd broadly agree with that. However I did often find him rather too
predictable and formulaic, though I enjoyed his occasional outside
broadcasts and the 'Answers Please' slot (Tuesdays?). I often used to
divide my loyalties between R2 and R4 at that time of day, going backwards
and forwards whenever I fancied a change. I was quite sad to see him go
when he retired, but it was the right time and JW gave the show a huge
boost and has quickly made it his own.

[Mark Carver]

Post by Slartibartfast
I think you're a bit misguided to call John Peel a Radio 2 legend, but I DO
agree about John Dunn.
I'm just the wrong side of 50, and I can vaguely remember hearing him in my
teens. After that I listened only occasionally (Radio 2 was rather uncool),
but when I did hear him he always sounded so professional and had an easy
way with his guests. If you'd had a bad day, it was good to listen to him
for reassurance that the world was still carrying on as normal. If you know
what I mean. He just seemed a nice man.

I remember John Dunn in the 70s presenting R2's Late Night Extra. I was
a teenager then. I recall retuning from R1/2 FM to Radio Oxford (who
carried LLE on their FM frequency) at 10pm to avoid John Peel's show.

I never liked much of what Peel played, though I liked him.