115: Gary Burgess - Wave, Wire, Q96, UTV, BBC Guernsey, ITV, Channel 103

Graduating from a school radio station – to emerge as a familiar face on ITV in the Channel Islands via a successful spell in commercial radio programming, this is story of Gary Burgess.

In this hour of Radio Moments Conversations, Gary tells of his childhood in South Africa and his early enthusiasm for radio, leading eventually to early work at Blackpool’s Radio Wave on moving with his family back to the UK.

Having risen through the ranks to the post of programme Controller, Gary seized the reins at Wire FM in Warrington, and helped to rescue Q96 in Renfrewshire from regulatory wrath.

A move then followed to the islands he was to grow to love, when he was invited to programme Island FM in Guernsey, progressing to the Managing Director role.  Then back to England to serve as senior programmer at UTV, responsible for UTV Radio's north of England radio stations, with particular focus on managing the output of Juice FM in Liverpool.

Gary opens up about his frustrations with that role, prompting him to return to the Channel Islands – and to on-air work with the BBC at Radio Guernsey.  A return to the commercial sector then beckoned as he began ten years as a key reporter for  ITV’s regional news programme for the Channel Islands. In an increasingly cross-platform world, he shares some of the secrets he's discovered about engaging video production.

He talks openly too about his health. From the tackling of testicular cancer, through an exhausting lengthy spell with ME, before a return of cancer. Then, at the end of 2020, facing the news that he could expect to live around six months. Still on-air with ITV and back on radio at Channel 103, he tells of how he is facing the diagnosis – and of the huge support he has received from those in his beloved Channel Islands and beyond.

In his own words, this is the inspiring story of Gary Burgess.

 Hear the whole ‘Radio Moments Conversations’ series here – and sign up for the regular podcast for this ongoing series