Radio Leeds

[BLAKEY]

I am greatly relieved that others find Radio Leeds to be such an abominable "spouting place" for those who, to use an old west Yorkshire saying, "Fancy theirselves" and by Jove they do. There are just a few acceptable, competent and modest ones, but very few !! 0600 to 0900 is an ordeal that no one hsould have to suffer with Ms Spanswick shrieking and guffawing and snorting and expressing surprise with that exaggerated "NAYOO NAYOO NAYOO NAYOO." Also we have to listen endlessly to her divorce - evidently no one else has ever had a failed relationship - and now every move in her latest romance with "Pete" and his two kids.She, however, is not the worst of the duo - Mr. Andrew Edwards (DON'T call me Andy) is so self opinionated that he has to be heard to be believed. I imagine they have an oxygen cylinder standing by because at the lightning speed that he prattles endlessly on he's in danger of passing out - and he won't let anyone finish a sentence or a topic before he butts in.Graham Liver for three hours from 0900 to 1200 I dare not describe in print.From 1200 to 1400 we have the self opinionated Ms. Green, who also only lets anyone else speak under protest - she must be heard all the time. Considering that she is a mature middle aged person its really time she stopped laying on this hilarious "with it teenager" act. Those listeners who dare to ring in are soon steam rollered into submision if they say anything with which she disagrees.Then we have to endure the "pseudo posh" link woman pushing Radio Leeds with her annoying habit of describing the broadcasting area as if it were World wide - "From Halifax to Harrogate, from Bingley to Beeston" etc etc.The weather, traffic and rail reports are all spoilt and virtually worthless because of the lunatic speed at which thay are rattled off without punctuation, rather like an infant reciting his first rhyme with embarrassment. Also all those readers now think that they are auditioning for jobs as comedians instead oif getting on with the serious matter in hand.The final straw is the endless lunatic way in which the phone, E Mail and text numbers are rammed down our throats in what seems to be like hundreds of times per hour. Mr. Liver and the thankfully gone Bob Walmsley were known to use them as often as five times in a sentence - no exaggeration. The implication is that they consider the listeners to be thick and gullible - I hesitate to say "Come back Lord Reith all is forgiven" but I'm going to say it.Yes folks I know, I know, there's the on/off switch - but like many of my acquaintances I've become "hooked" on Radio Leeds just to take the rise out of it and some of the "star turns" - well they're SURE they are.

[Trojan]

BLAKEY wrote: IShe, however, is not the worst of the duo - Mr. Andrew Edwards (DON'T call me Andy) is so self opinionated that he has to be heard to be believed. I'm not keen on him either. They both seem to think that they have a god given right to force their opinions on everything on the general population.In 2000 when the fuel blockade ended he interviewed one of the blockaders - and to say he gave him an easy ride would be an exaggeration. He clearly approved of the fuel blockade. Immediately afterwards he interviewed the leader of a bus strike in Bradford and gave him a really hard time, asking questions about inconveniencing the public etc. Which TBF is what he should be doing - but the contrast with the interview of the fuel blockader was particularly noticeable I suppose because of the proximity of the two interviews.

[BLAKEY]

Edwards is on top form this morning, with an all time record display of how much prattling can be issued forth between each huge intake of breath. Also, in an age when folks are routinely sent to the Moon and space, the tragic saga of how the infernal text machine is running slowly today goes on. Good news though is that Ms Spnswick is camping somewhere under canvas for the week - her place being taken as usual by the civilised but incredibly boring Julia Langford (Jules to those in the know !!) Of course our roving reporter Daragh Corcoran (SUPER Daragh - ugh !!) is on duty as well - and just in CASE you should forget the wavelength you've selected "BBC RADIO LEEDS" what seems like a thousand times an hour.Thank goodness for the delightful and very professional Lisa Gallagher (married last month) - who seems to be not only tip top at her weather knowledge, but also a very warm and genuine and unaffected young lady.

[Steve Jones]

over the last 22 years , I have done various things on radio Leeds relating to Paganism and can say that with the exception of Peter levy most of the presenters were fine to work with.Levy tried to catch me out a couple of times by springing vicars etc on me in interview.as he does not like pagans IMHO. I remember getting my revenge on him one Xmas though. I followed a re,mark by a christian speaker on how Xmas was losing its roots to commenrcialism by firstly agreeing that it was losing its rots and then going on to mention how 25th December was important because of a man born of a virgin in a cave who had a band of followers. Levy had let me continue in this vein so I then finished with "I speak of course of Mithras whose birthday it actually was!" collapse of Levt spluttering<G>.I always like Cathryn Apanovicz (not sure of the spelling), she is very nice to speak to and actually listens to replies as well as asking sensible questions.

[Si]

I went to school with Kathryn Apanowicz, Steve. Waterloo Juniors, Pudsey - 1960s. I vaguely remember her, but it could be memory playing tricks. I last saw her in the Saffron curry place in Leyburn, June this year!    

[Doubledave]

I thought it was only me that had gone off Radio Leeds. I used to listen to Radio Leeds all day, every day. All the presenters were professional and each one was different, especially Peter Levy, Martin Kelner, Mike Craig and John Boyd (I particularly liked the Sunday Brunch) Now the presenters all sound the same just like any commercial radio station, with nothing much to say except give us a call, text, email etc. in other words do the programme for us. When they lost, or rather pushed out John Boyd, that was more or less the last time I listened regularly. I tried to listen to the new bloke in the mornings, but the giggling, bland voice, which kept saying “you’re listening to Today’s West Yorkshire” every five minutes was just too much. Now they’re ALL saying it every five minutes. If this is today’s West Yorkshire, give me yesterday’s West Yorkshire anytime. We could hear the weather and road reports without the thumping music played over the top of it, we were not constantly told how wonderful they were, we knew that, and the presenters had personalities.These days I’m to be found at Radio 4, Five Live or BBC 7 they’re much more grown up.That’s my two pen’th.

[chomic]

Bring back Alvin Blossom!

[beast]

Radio Leeds aint been the same since they sacked Kelner and Boydie.What John Boyd didnt know about the Leeds area and local sport was'nt worth knowing.Kelner just dared to be different from the rest of the boring lot !

[Si]

beast wrote: Radio Leeds aint been the same since they sacked Kelner and Boydie.What John Boyd didnt know about the Leeds area and local sport was'nt worth knowing.Kelner just dared to be different from the rest of the boring lot ! Martin Kelner once told a story about a passenger on a trans-Atlantic flight. Desperate for a cig on the no-smoking plane, he went to the loo, held the flush handle down, and smoked with his head down the pan so the smoke alarm wouldn't detect it. It worked, but when he resumed his seat, he noticed everyone's ears were bleeding...

[raveydavey]

"A good point, well made", as the bloke who currently does drivetimes likes to say at least once per interview.I've given up listening now apart from the news and sport at half past the hour, or unless I need to keep up to date with the travel news. The whole station is riddled with a left leaning bias that Tony Benn would be proud of that frequenty gets in the way of genuine news or debate.