Aircheck Tracker
Profile: Steve Madden: Influenced by John Peel when Steve was 14 ("I heard him and instantly realised what I wanted to do with my life") he joined the BBC's Graduate Training Scheme in 1978.
It was not all plain sailing for Mr Madden though....."When I was a young television researcher, I was early for an interview with an opera singer, so I drove round Hampstead to kill time. At busy junction in Swiss Cottage, a car stalled in front of me and I got out to push it across the junction. When I got back to my car, I discovered I'd locked myself out. With the engine running! The traffic lights changed - all afternoon - and I brought most of North London to a halt before managing to get a replacement key made!"
Among his other influences he includes Ray Moore; "the only man who ever makes me laugh at 5am" and Roger Scott; "the greatest music presenter I've ever heard. I still miss him."
Steve describes himself as a tall, dark, handsome, Olympic sportsman who presents a show that is; "not the usual cobblers".
The multi-skilled Steve has spent many years on BBC Radio 2's news presentation staff, but gained an audience of insomniacs on the Nightride and Early Show through weekday nights in the 1990s. Steve left Radio 2 around the same time as colleague Charles Nove. Both were replaced with female presenters as station management felt there was not enough female voices on the presenter list. So, in came Katrina Leskanich - the lead singer of Katrina And The Waves, and Lynn Parsons.
There was no news as to why Steve left BBC Radio 2 after so long, but he finally re-appeared weekday nights, 7:00pm-10:00pm along with many other stars on BBC Northampton (FM 104.2 & 103.8). In May 2003, Ian Pearce began presenting Steve's slot. Interestingly, AIRCHECK research revealed some in-depth discussion in the forum of the BBC Three Counties website, with accusations from posting parties of letting anybody have a go at presenting programmes, with elements inferring you could be making the tea one day, and on-air the next. Research concluded that Steve Madden's contract was simply not renewed. Bill Adamson e-mailed to say that he'd heard Keith Skues airing his views on Steve's departure, hot on the heels of a listener complaining to similar ends. Keith was heard saying he felt Steve was 'extremely talented' and that he didn't know what he was doing radio-wise if anything at all.
Whereabouts: 2004 hasn't been the fall-out with the BBC that some have made out. Infact, Steve has continued working for various BBC Local Radio stations including those in Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Herts, Beds & Bucks. As of December 2004, he can be found through the output of BBC Radio Berkshire - 104.1, 104.4, 95.4 & 94.6FM.