It was 1957 when Australian born Alan Freeman came to Britain for the holiday that lasted more than 40 years.  He’d been working as an announcer on Melbourne’s 3KZ, and as Rock n Roll increasingly hit the airwaves, he arrived ‘to do Europe’.  In the event, British Radio enjoyed his unique style of presentation for more than four decades. In 1987 the Radio Academy gave him their award for “An Outstanding Contribution to UK Music Radio” and in 1988 he was honoured as the SONY Awards “Radio Personality of the Year”.

His earliest ambition was to follow in the footsteps of his operatic idols, but when singing lessons revealed that his rich baritone voice was ‘good, but not that good’ he opted for a career that combined music with radio.  Recordings of his radio shows in the 50s reveal his joint role as a crooner (and no mean pianist), radio presenter and reader of live commercials. The first show that he could truly call his own was 3KZ’s “World Famous Tenors”, but by then Rock n Roll was in the ascendancy.

His first impressions of UK radio were less than exciting: “And now here’s Frank Sinatra on a gramophone record” was not Alan’s style, and within six months he’d made contact with Radio Luxembourg and was employed as a summer relief disc jockey (1958).  By 1960 he was on the BBC’s Light Programme (the precursor of Radios 1 and 2) with a show called “Records Around Five”.  That show linked him for the first time with what has since become the most distinctive signature tune on British radio; “At the Sign of the Swinging Cymbal”.

On 23 September 1961 he introduced his first “Pick of the Pops” as part of a Saturday evening show called “Trad Tavern” on the Light Programme, and then in 1962 “Pick of the Pops” assumed its regular placing at Sunday teatime.  Alan presented the show on Radio 1 until 1972.

Alongside his mainstream broadcasting Alan consistently championed the appeal of hard rock or ‘heavy metal’ music.  His BBC Saturday Rock Show picked up just about every award on offer, and when he resigned from Radio 1 in 1978 his listeners were horrified.  But within twelve months his rock show was being heard on the airwaves of London’s Capital Radio and by 1982 his Saturday morning “Pick of the Pops Take Two” was the station’s second most popular programme.

For television he’d been a regular on “Top of the Pops”, hosted his own show “All Systems Freeman” and remains strongly identified with those distinctive commercials for OMO washing powder and Brentford Nylons.  His movie appearances include “Absolute Beginners” and “Just for Fun”.

In January 1989 Alan returned to BBC Radio 1 to host a Saturday night rock show and “Pick of the Pops” on Sundays.  At the end of 1993 he moved back to London’s Capital Radio, this time on their ‘Gold’ service where until the end of ‘96 he continued to present “Pick of the Pops” every Saturday morning.  From March 1996 until late 1997 he presented his Friday night rock show for Virgin Radio and from April ‘97 he presented ‘Pick Of The Pops’ for the new look Radio Two as well as ‘Their Greatest Bits’, a Tuesday night opera and classics show that he hosted until 2001.

Alan’s catchphrases included: “Greetings Pop Pickers”, “Greetings Music Lovers”, “Alright” and the ubiquitous “Not ‘Arf” with which he was featured in national advertising campaigns for Skol Lager and Cadbury Creme Eggs. In October 1996 his outstanding contribution to the promotion of British music over almost 40 years was celebrated by his recognition as the music industry’s ‘Man Of The Year’. In the 1997/98 New Year Honours list Alan was awarded the MBE for services to music and in 2000 he received the lifetime achievement award at that year’s Sony Radio Academy Awards.

He died at his London home on November 27th 2006.