Wyvern News This Is Howard Hughes

It is with great sadness that I have to make this extra entry to Howard’s Story. My great friend and true radio legend passed away on 9th November 2024.

There is more information on his unexplained Podcast website HERE and if you knew Howard and have not heard his own story in his own words I do hope you make a half hour free and go and listen to him HERE

Here are the words he wrote for this website.

“Like many of the best things in life I came to Wyvern by accident and chance.”   I’d returned from pirate Radio Nova in Ireland and had tried to push for a community station for Southport – which it eventually got in the 1990s.   The government went cold on the idea of uber-local radio in the late 80s – so the summer of 1986 saw me leave my Merseyside home and start work at Barbourne Terrace.  It turned out to be life-changing.    I arrived in my old VW Beetle with a sleeping bag, a knife, fork, plate spoon and a radio. Thanks to Dave Aston – who was leaving – recommending a good letting agent I found a tiny apartment at the top of the Terrace.

I began by working six or seven days a week on news and shows.  And I learned – fast – on the job.   I didn’t know it then – but the phrase “Wyvern News this is Howard Hughes” got written into the station’s history.    We had no resources and a news staff of two – working 5 days and alternate Saturdays.  We actually covered a murder trial at Hereford Crown Court using a CB radio bought from Tandy – one of the team on the steps of the Court relayed the verdict to the other (me) at the Hereford Studio – a closet at the town’s theatre.  We beat the BBC and other broadcasters to get the news on air – with the help  of an estate agent opposite who let us use a phone (remember this was pre-mobile phone – really!)     Later we took on Rupert Bell – fresh from the army – a charming man with connections to the Royal Family who quickly became a friend.  Rupert is now one of the nation’s leading sports broadcasters.      I was noted for working all the time and taking what I did quite seriously.   So when I took a week off to stay with my parents in Formby, Rupert called me to say a colleague had “eaten too many sandwiches from Lilly B’s (excellent) sandwich shop”, he’d taken ill and I had to return immediately.  I actually believed it – but thankfully Rupert revealed the truth as I was getting ready to head back to Worcester.   I had a spell on the Breakfast Show – the truth was I had not had enough life experience to take that on.  It is obvious to me now – but wasn’t then. I had much to do, see and learn before I could credibly take to the air.   So I took over the afternoon show – including an experiment splitting the Hereford and Worcester transmitters (Studio 1 going to Hereford with Johnny Lewis, Studio 2 going to Worcester with me)….  Unlike radio today we could try things out and experiment.  The result on air was usually relevant and fun.   I left at Christmas 1987 – and said a very sad goodbye to Norman, Stephanie, Sam and the team…and I locked the door on my lovely top floor rented “apartment” in  Cowleigh Road, Malvern for the last time – or so I thought.

I started 1988 at County Sound in Guildford.   I liked the MD Mike Powell and the PD Paul Owens a lot –  and County Sound was like a big, slick  London station but for Surrey and Hampshire.   Mike and Paul remain friends.   But I missed Worcestershire and Herefordshire.  So when Norman phoned me to say he was ” a man down”   I returned in June to become News Editor with a team that included Jane Garvey.  I started the second spell by presenting breakfast and covering the Three Counties Show – that included a balloon flight with the Mitsubishi Ballooning Team high above the Malverns – at one point we almost touched the spine of the hills – and then floated off again.  It was all lovely.  But in those days I had perpetually itchy feet. I was offered two jobs – at GWR Bath and Ocean Sound in Portsmouth/Southampton.   I left after six months to go to Hampshire.  No regrets about that.   I had great experiences, launched the first fast “FM style” news service in the UK – on Power FM.”   And I met a woman who became a friend, guide and rock of my life for almost a decade.    I was on my way in life.    A bit late but all the better for it.   I quickly headed to BRMB – to do breakfast news (living back in Worcestershire).    Within months I was headhunted to be a newsreader/news writer at IRN/LBC.  That job brought me to London – and meant my network bulletins were heard on Wyvern.  So I was still at the station. When I left LBC/IRN to launch BBC Berkshire Norman faxed me with a lovely letter headed “Black Friday.”   The rest is history – ten years with Chris Tarrant on Capital – LBC with Nick Ferrari, talkSPORT, BBC Berkshire again, BFBS,  BBC Three Counties,  CityTalk, talkRADIO and a long spell of being a “go to” voiceover man for ITV entertainment shows – like the British Comedy Awards where I spoke – live – to 13 million people!    Wyvern laid the foundations for all of this.

I regard Norman Bilton as a pioneer.  Some saw him as a misguided maverick.  That’s not fair.   I will always see him as an innovator, a man who totally understood what real people wanted to hear.  He could be tough.  He could be extraordinarily kind.   I believe he deserved to be up there with Richard Park, Ralph Bernard and the other big names of radio management.  News of his death was a tremendous shock.   For so many of us, he was – and will remain – unique and special.  I will forever see him at the gates of 5/6, Barbourne Terrace arriving for work in his beloved Ford Capri uttering his famous catchphrase “cheers now.” ( Here Here Howard – SS)

Here is some more great audio from Howard with thanks again to aircheckdownloads.com