Boom! go the ratings
In over 65 years in broadcasting, David Hamilton has hosted thousands of radio shows and television shows, including his now hugely popular daily show on Boom Radio.
While at school he became a columnist on the weekly national magazine Soccer Star and upon leaving school became a script-writer for the TV series Portrait of a Star, and then an in-vision television announcer for ABC Weekend TV based in Didsbury, Manchester, where he also appeared with close friend Ken Dodd in the TV series Doddy's Music Box, acquiring the nickname 'Diddy'.
When ABC closed down in 1968, he transferred to its successor company Thames Television as an announcer, and subsequently hosted many shows and also appeared alongside comedians Benny Hill and Tommy Cooper. For BBC TV, he hosted Top of the Pops, Seaside Special and the Eurovision Song Contest Previews. Additionally, and for seven years, he was the main host of one of the earliest satellite TV stations, Lifestyle.
Meanwhile David made his radio broadcasting debut with the British Forces Network in Cologne in Germany during his national service in 1959 and later appeared on the BBC Light Programme - he presented the final edition of Housewives' Choice in 1967 – before first being heard on BBC Radio 1 in November 1967 … that led to his own Radio 1 weekday afternoon show from 2 pm to 5 pm. In November 1977, the show moved to Radio 2 and he remained with the station until he quit at the end of 1986, stating that the music policy had become Geriatric, as the then head of music Frances Line had decided to change programming to reflect that of the old Light Programme.
Since 1987, David Hamilton has been heard on many commercial stations in the UK including Capital Gold, the Breakfast show on Melody FM (now Magic 105.4) for four years before moving to London's Liberty Radio to present an afternoon show and Classic Gold Network on a Sunday.
More recently in February 2021, he started a daily lunchtime show with Boom Radio, the national DAB station aimed at the baby boom generation. On stage David has compered shows by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, David Cassidy and many other pop acts. He is also the author of six books: the most recent being his autobiography The Long and Winding Road (2024).
Along with being one of the nicest people in showbusiness, he’s one of the funniest too!
