Seeing Red on James Whale 1991

Angie Cobb, Steve Brown, Aly Barr and Terry O Sullivan performing Little People November 1991

James Whale

For over fifty years, The James Whale Radio Show shook the airwaves and shaped the sound of British talk broadcasting. James Whale, who passed away in 2024 after a long battle with cancer, leaves behind a legacy that few broadcasters can match — sharp, fearless, and always unafraid to say what others wouldn’t.

Whale’s journey began in the mid-1970s at Metro Radio in the north east. His style was unlike anything else on local radio: acerbic, witty, and often provocative. Audiences quickly learned that with Whale at the mic, nothing was off-limits. What might have been too controversial for others became his calling card, and it won him a fiercely loyal following.

That following carried him onto bigger platforms. Over the years Whale made his mark on the BBC, ITV, Talksport, and LBC. At LBC, he tripled the station’s drivetime ratings in just four years, proving his brand of forthright broadcasting could draw in mass audiences. Later, at TalkTV, he reached new viewers with a show that blended debate, humour, and his trademark no-nonsense interviews.

In the digital era, Whale reinvented himself yet again with The James Whale Radio Show Podcast, co-hosted with Rob Oldfield. The podcast captured Whale at his most unfiltered — funny, direct, sometimes outrageous, always entertaining. Fans cherished it as a more intimate version of his show, but following his death the podcast came to an end, closing one of the last chapters of his extraordinary career.

James Whale was more than just a broadcaster; he was a pioneer who transformed talk radio into a space where disagreement was not only tolerated but encouraged. He thrived on challenging his listeners, sparring with callers, and injecting humour into even the fiercest debates. Off-air, he was admired for his resilience, particularly as he continued to broadcast while undergoing cancer treatment.

Though Whale is gone, the echoes of his voice remain — in the memories of those who tuned in night after night, and in the many presenters who followed his path. The James Whale Radio Show may have ended, but its spirit endures: bold, provocative, and never afraid of the truth.

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