Aircheck Tracker
Profile: Ray Moore: Best-known nationally for his time on BBC Radio 2, Ray Moore was a voice-only continuity announcer with Granada TV in Manchester between 1962 and 1964 (although he did appear in-vision as a news bulletin reader on Granada's news magazine programme). During this period, he also freelanced as an in-vision presenter at Tyne Tees TV during the weekend (when Granada went off-air for ABC Television). He also spent a short while in-vision for ATV before returning to the BBC in Manchester in 1965. In the 1980s, Ray regularly voiced trailers for BBCTV.
Many people believe Ray presented the radio slot currently occupied by Ken Bruce that falls in between Terry Wogan and Jimmy Young. Infact, Ray Moore did the early morning show on Radio 2 - 6.00 to 7.30 am, the one that Sarah Kennedy does now. The hand-over from him to Terry Wogan at 7.30 was just the wittiest five minutes of the day and featured great repartee. Ray Moore was of course, the king of witty repartee, Wogan was his disciple.
In 1986, Ray released a record into
the charts after huge demand from his loyal listeners - 'O' My Father Had A Rabbit'
spent 7 weeks in the chart peaking at number 24 after entry on 29th November of
that year. That was followed by another Ray Moore favourite - 'Bog Eyed
Jog' was not quite as successful, reaching 61, after the second of two weeks in
the chart from 5th December 1987.
Sadly, Ray died in January 1989, suffering from a cancerous tumour in his neck, but
he remained on air for as long as he could still speak, and his dry and subtle wit never left him.
His autobiography - 'Tomorrow is Too Late' - is hilarious and still
causes much difficulty for readers in not bellowing out loud with laughter,
although quiet little sneaky chuckle laughter is irresistible. One
AIRCHECK correspondent recalls 'I bought it at Gatwick Airport when I was flying out to Frankfurt to visit my son Ashley when he
spent a year out there as part of his university course, and I could not stop giggling to myself when reading it on the plane, much to the consternation of fellow passengers!'