Strongly committed to regional broadcasting, he was responsible in the mid-1960s for a pilot local radio station in the Channel Islands, which eventually led to the setting up of a string of BBC Local Radio stations across the UK.
Subsequently Blythe branched out into non-fiction with 2002's The Encyclopaedia Of Classic Eighties Pop, a humorous reference guide published by Allison & Busby, which led to a stint co-presenting the music show 80s Night on BBC Local Radio in the North of England.
After seven years at Premier, Phil returned to travel news, working for trafficlink presenting radio bulletins for, among others Virgin, Classic FM and BBC Local Radio.
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In addition to their headquarters, BBC North West has local radio stations and news bureaux located in Liverpool and Blackburn and a district office in Chester.
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BBC Local Radio was introduced to the North West on 22 November 1967 with the launch of Radio Merseyside in Liverpool, followed on 10 September 1970 by Radio Manchester and on 26 January 1971 by Radio Blackburn (later relaunched as BBC Radio Lancashire).
Lester Simpson is a folk singer and radio presenter on BBC Local Radio in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.
During the 1970s Radio 4 FM in the East of England (Tacolneston, Peterborough and relays) carried a breakfast magazine programme, Roundabout East Anglia, the region lacking any BBC Local Radio.
This performance was recorded for broadcast on BBC local radio, and filmed for inclusion in a 'one year on' documentary by the makers of The Singing Estate.
They have received national airplay on Tom Robinson's show BBC 6Music, Frank Hennessy's Celtic Heartbeat show on BBC Radio Wales as well as recently having live sessions on BBC Introducing, BBC Local Radio and many other local radio stations.
He was named BBC Local Radio "Presenter of the Year" at the 2004 Frank Gillard Awards and won the bronze in the category in 2006 for his work at BBC Radio Suffolk.