WC AUGUST 17

Had a super Sunday afternoon interviewing well known local Island sportswoman Dawn Hodge, who is also a sports massage and soft tissue therapist. Fascinating lady and look out for her interview soon in the Isle of Wight County Press. Her sporting career really took me by surprise.

Still trying so hard to work on new interviews in these very difficult times. Just managed to tie up an interview with a past favourite character from the good old days of EastEnders. It should happen in the next few days. I am working on one or two others.

Just completed my John Hannam Interviews for the September and October issues of The Beacon magazine. I do enjoy doing these. I have enough on hand to take me into 2021. If you don’t pick up a Beacon or have one delivered they are available to read online. Just go to The Beacon website. The current feature is David Calder. The next is a very popular actor from Duty Free, Heartbeat, Coronation Street, Barbara and many others.

My latest County Press sporting archive, which has just been published, is the Island’s first £million footballer LEE BRADBURY (pictured). He’s got a fascinating story and is such a great guy.

Sad news to end the week. I was always a great admirer of one of Radio Solent’s best broadcasters of all time, the legendary Richard Cartridge. I was so shocked to hear he has just died following a short illness. When I made a record in the mid-80s for a story in the IW Weekly Post, to prove you don’t have to be able to sing to make a record, I sent a copy to Richard at Radio Solent. I was so surprised when he rang up and invited me on his Solent show. He played three of the four tracks. After being on his popular afternoon show, I interviewed him for my Stage Talk column in the Weekly Post.

The last time I met Richard was at the Ferneham Hall, Fareham, when he was compering the Jet Harris Show. Such a great guy and he had written a brilliant instrumental called Song For Tony  for one of Jet’s albums. He was also a good singer and did some of his own gigs. I had the pleasure of meeting his daughter at one of my book signings at the Busy Bee, Ryde, just last Christmas. There were plans for us two to possibly meet up again but the Covid -19 lockdown put off any hope of that. He was one of the true greats of local radio.