Dan Chisholm is a rare commodity in the world of broadcasting. He really has been there, seen it and done it. He’s unsettled prominent political figures to the point of walking out of tough interviews. He’s been involved in many royal outside broadcasts and charity events. But the reason for his success is his understanding of .. and affinity to .. the audience.

His interest in radio began in the 1960s, when listening to off-shore broadcasts from the "pirate ships" featuring many DJs who went on to become household names.

A keen record buyer by the age of seven, he saved his pocket money until he had the 6s 8d for the latest Beatles single. By the time he was nine, was making his own radio programmes on a portable tape recorder and trashing his parents' record players. His mind was made up after discovering Kenny Everett's unique programmes.

Against all careers advice, Dan left school at sixteen to pursue his BBC dream. One of his sales colleagues at a photographic retail store encouraged him into the seedy 70s discotheque circuit and its world of heavy funk music, afro hairstyles, flared trousers and striptease artistes. A terrible job, but someone had to do it!

Dan Chisholm's radio career began at BBC Radio Leicester in 1978 when he successfully auditioned for a place on the team of the station's youth programme. After freelancing in Plymouth, Manchester and London, Dan secured a full-time post in April 1983. Within two years, he was on his way to bright lights of London as a producer at BBC Radio Two working alongside Jimmy Young, Ken Bruce, Gloria Hunniford; David Hamilton; David Jacobs and John Dunn.

 Click here for Audio highlights 1 - the early career

His passion for music brought him the chance to take charge of music production sessions at the BBC's Maida Vale studios. Among the highlights were Georgie Fame, Johnny Logan, Elaine Delmar; Gerard Kenny and the BBC Big Band.

(with Gerard Kenny)

After deciding to return to his first love of presentation, he moved to BBC Radio York in 1988 where he soon gained notoriety for his unique brand of entertainment - persuading fully clothed people to jump into swimming pools! He later discovered a rock band in Scarborough called Little Angels who went on to great success supporting Bryan Adams, Marillion and Van Halen amongst others. By 1992, Dan was asked to present the regional late-night programme for BBC North which soon built a large following for its blend of the unorthodox and the entertaining.

 Click here for Audio Highlights 2 - celebrity interviews

Dan Chisholm's move into news programmes gained him respect with a reputation someone politicians didn't relish facing. In the space of a few weeks, Douglas Hurd, Mo Mowlam, Kenneth Clarke, John Major, Frank Dobson and Paddy Ashdown locked antlers with Radio York's "man of the people". He regularly presented news bulletins, produced news programmes and also reported and produced from district offices in Scarborough, Harrogate and Northallerton. He gained his first television presentation experience fronting the BBC's Children In Need coverage live from the east coast.

In 1994, Dan's move to BBC Radio Cambridgeshire brought him the ultimate challenge - the weekday breakfast show. Living in the same village as Prime Minister John Major brought benefits too - being asked to interview him for the BBC's Six o'clock news programme.

In 1998, Norma Major invited Dan to play in their annual celebrity cricket match alongside Indian test star Mohammed Azharudin; champion jockey Richard Dunwoody and actor Clive Mantle from the BBC TV series Casualty. This match attracted huge media attention following the announcement that the Prime Minister's son would be bringing his new fiancé Emma Noble.

(With TV actor Robert Duncan - Gus in "Drop The Dead Donkey")

Dan's composure was shattered when captain Brian Close asked him to bowl to the legendary West Indian batsman Alvin Kallicharran. An eventful first over followed, with only three deliveries being dispatched over the boundary rope. Amazingly, only one was a six ….

Dan Chisholm continued to develop his TV skills, co-presenting a Look East outside broadcast with Stewart White from Ely in Cambridgeshire. He also presented information slots in the summer series Out and About.

In 1999, a move to BBC Radio Oxford gave him the chance to present a revamped breakfast show … before being attracted by the new BBC Radio Swindon service with which he remained until deciding to pursue a freelance career and devoting more time to his music four years later.

 Click here for Audio Highlights 3 - BBC Radio Swindon 2000/2004

(L to R: Andrew Wilson - Regional boss of BBC West; Peter Heaton-Jones - presenter, BBC Radio Swindon and "Mr Chis" having farewell drinks)

Dan Chisholm has presented every daytime programme in his 28 year career and still remains one of the few white presenters to host a reggae and black soul music programme. Bizarrely, he probably remains one of the first non-gardening experts to front a phone-in show! He continues to broadcast a weekly request show on BBC Radio Bristol and occasionally deputises for Steve Yabsley and Trevor Fry on the regional evening shows. He hopes during 2006 to take a new production idea to TV companies. Time will tell whether or not a new chapter is to begin …..

Holiday cover? Rota problems? A show that needs filling?

How could Dan's experience benefit your station?

E-mail: info@danchisholm.co.uk