Dan Chisholm - How It All Happened

Lazy and hopeless academically, Dan left school at the age of sixteen against the advice of careers instructors who laughed when he said he wanted to work in radio. They suggested Dan should retake his (failed) exams and aim for a university degree before the BBC would even look at him.

Being a headstrong teenager, he chose to ignore their advice and was given his first job selling hi-fi equipment at a well-known city centre store. Here Dan met Steve King who is now a senior executive in commercial radio. King gave him a first break as a pub DJ; before long, both were working in city centre nightclubs.

One Saturday morning, Dan was demonstrating a hi-fi system to a customer when a voice appeared from the radio saying that the local station was looking for young people to join a youth programme. Dan became one of six lucky people who successfully came through the audition process at BBC Radio Leicester.

On 14th February 1978, the love affair with radio began. Dan started as a technical operator and programme assistant for the youth programme INTRO, before graduating to programme co-presenter within a year.

Four years later, he quit his full-time job to allow him to gain further experience. He became a technical operator for Radio Four's south-western regional breakfast show in Plymouth, before moving to a similar role at BBC Radio Manchester. In April 1983, Dan accepted a full-time position with the BBC.

Dan Chisholm's local radio career took him to various local radio stations across the UK. He also undertook a production attachment at BBC Radio Two, working with Gloria Hunniford, Ken Bruce, David Hamilton, John Dunn and David Jacobs among others. 

In the 90s, he expanded into television for live programmes such as LOOK EAST, CHILDREN IN NEED and OUT AND ABOUT. Dan finally left the BBC in 2004 to pursue musical interests and ambitions.

Eighteen months later, Dan was persuaded to return to BBC local radio as a freelance to present and produce regional programmes for the south-west of England. In 2006, he accepted the invitation to work in commercial radio for the first time.

Over the years, Dan has been a technical operator, programme assistant, researcher, presenter, producer, journalist, has management experience ... and makes a mean cup of tea. An experienced breakfast presenter, Dan has also presented every weekday sequence programme.

(with Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine)

In October 2010, Dan was chosen to conduct the only UK Radio interview with Sir Cliff Richard for broadcast on his 70th birthday. All others were deferred until after his series of birthday concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Dan returned to BBC local radio as the Drivetime and Saturday breakfast show presenter at BBC Radio Cumbria during 2011.