Voices of UK radio - Alan (Fluff) Freeman (NOT ARF!)

Born 1927 in Australia, Alan 'Fluff' Freeman (real name Alan Leslie Freeman) worked as an announcer on Melbourne local radio, and came to Britain in 1957. He remembers listening to a BBC Light Programme show where, at the end of a record, the announcer said stiffly with a BBC accent "..and that was new gramophone record sung by Frank Sinatra" and could see the need for a more lively, modern presentation style on UK radio. He stayed in Britain, and listeners have been enjoying his unique style of presentation ever since. He joined the Light Programme in 1961 with a show Records Around Five. In September of that year, replacing David Jacobs, he began to present Pick of the Pops, then a singles chart feature in a short-lived Saturday evening show called Trad Tavern.

In January 1962 Pick of the Pops became a programme in its own right with a regular Sunday teatime slot; produced by Derek Chinnery and presented by Alan Freeman, the show soon became a national institution. Unit 1 was the Chart Newcomers (later climbers). Unit 2 was the New Releases Unit 3 was the Pick of the Pops LP Spot Unit 4 was the Week's Top 10 Alan Freeman naturally joined Radio 1 with its launch in 1967, continuing to present the weeks singles chart countdown on Pick of the Pops, which he fronted on Sunday evenings until September 1972.

Following this he presented the Saturday Rock Show featuring music from the progressive, hard rock and heavy metal genres from 1973 until September 1978. Acts featured were diverse as Pink Floyd, Jean Michel Jarre, Jethro Tull, Caravan, Genesis, Steve Hackett, Yes, King Crimson and Vangelis. During the 1960's and early 70's Alan also featured regularly on Radio Luxembourg. He left Radio 1 to join Capital Radio in 1979 hosting their Saturday morning show Pick Of The Pops Take Two. Alan is remembered as as the voice behind 'Brentford Nylons' and 'Omo' during the 1960s and 70's. In 1987 he received the Radio Academy's Outstanding Contribution to UK music Radio Award and in 1988 he was honoured as the Sony Awards' Radio Personality of the Year. Alan's catchphrases include:"Erm...................", "Greetings Pop Pickers", "Alright", and "Not 'Arf".

He came back to Radio 1 in January 1989 and fronted the 'Pick of the Pops' early Sunday afternoon show but this time in an 'oldies chart' format as well as the Saturday Rock Show which was now aired in an evening slot. In December 1992 Alan signed off from presenting Pick of the Pops on Radio 1, but it wasn't the last time he would front this show for the BBC. He continued with the legendary Saturday Rock Show until October of 1993, when Matthew Bannister took charge of the station. Moving to Capital Gold and Virgin Radio during the period 1993-1996, Alan came back to the BBC, this time to Radio 2 in April 1997 to present 'Pick of the Pops', once again playing retro BBC charts, until April 2000. He also broadcast a series of opera/classic highlight shows on Tuesday nights on BBC Radio 2, until 2002.

Alan was awarded an MBE in 1998. Since 1991, Alan had suffered with arthritis and from 2000 lived in a nursing home, Brinsworth House in Twickenham. He passed away peacefully there on 28th November 2006, aged 79.