BIOGRAPHY
Mike’s professional broadcasting career began in 1976 at Reading’s Radio 210, where he co-hosted a slot with Steve Wright, entitled “Read and Wright” before joining Radio Luxembourg late in 1977. Mike joined Radio 1 in November 1978 and was soon presenting the night-time programme. On 5 January 1981, he took over the Radio 1 Breakfast show, which he fronted for 5 years.
He was a regular presenter on Radio 1 until 1991 when he left to join Capital Gold until 1995.
He has since gone on to present on Classic FM, Jazz FM, Spirit FM, Radio 2 and more recently presents The Heritage Chart show.
During the 1980’s Mike presented the BBC’s Saturday morning children’s programme “Saturday Superstore” as well as the Saturday night TV show “Pop Quiz”, which regularly got audiences of over 10 million and spawned board game and computer game spin-offs.
This show was revamped in 2008 and Mike hosted the show on Red TV.
Mike was a regular presenter on “Top of the Pops” hosting 65 editions between 1978 and 1989 returning for the anniversary show in 1994 and again for the final episode in 2006.
In 2004 Mike was one of the contestants on the ITV reality series “Im a Celebrity, Get me Out Of Here”.
After his appearance on I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here” he recorded a charity single “Jungle Rock” as the Jungle Boys (with fellow contestants Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock and Lord Brocket) which was a top 30 hit.
In 2021, he joined Talking Pictures TV founder and brother Water Rat Noel Cronin on the channel’s archive programme “The Footage Detectives”
In 1979 he wrote and performed the pop-punk song “High Rise” under the guise of The Trainspotters and in 1980 with “My Town”, by his next studio group, The Ghosts.
Mike has staged a number of musicals, including “Young Apollo”, “ Oscar” “Great Expectations”, “A Christmas Carol” and “Cliff - The Musical”.
On 19 October 2011 Mike was presented with a BASCA Gold Badge Award in recognition of his contribution to music.
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Biography taken from "Rats in the Spotlight" - Written by Brother Tommy J
