Tony Blackburn

Tony Blackburn (b.29 January 1943) is a British disc jockey and occasional TV presenter, although best known in pop culture for his work on radio.

He first achieved fame working for pirate stations Radio Caroline and Radio London in the 1960s, before joining the BBC Light Programme. Blackburn was the first disc jockey to broadcast on BBC Radio 1 at its launch on 30 September 1967, famously opening the Breakfast Show with Flowers in the Rain by The Move.

He has since had several placings working for the BBC Radio, including an afternoon show from 28 November 1977, which replaced the R2 simulcast, and the Sunday Top 40 show from 02 September 1979.

As of September 2020 he presents Sounds of the Sixties and Tony Blackburn's Golden Hour both on BBC Radio 2.

Blackburn was dismissed by the BBC in early 2016 over allegations concerning the JS sexual abuse investigation, although was later reinstated, broadcasting for the corporation again on a New Year's Eve programme on Radio 2 the same year.

Like most Radio 1 DJs he also presented Top of the Pops making his debut on 19 October 1967, shortly after the launch of Radio 1. He presented his final edition on 27 October 1983.

In 1972 he married well known TV actress Tessa Wyatt although the couple divorced in 2007.