Aircheck Tracker
Profile: Nicky Campbell: Nicholas Andrew Argyle Campbell hit the airwaves of Radio 1 in the October of 1987 following a recommendation from Sir Jimmy Savile. Sir Jim had heard Nicky during his short but successful time at London's Capital Radio. Scottish radio presenters on the national BBC network have been few and far between over the years with only Nicky, Mark Goodier and the late Stuart Henry being the only Scots to have presented shows daily on Radio 1. His time on-air started with a show on Saturday evenings, but this eventually became a weekday late-night show. Then in 1994, Nicky moved onto the afternoon show shown establishing a regular loyal audience.
Nicky spent quite some time at Radio 1
presenting a number of shows, often announcing himself as his full name as shown
above. He established his own brand of interviewing over the years from
the like of the Archbishop of Canterbury and Irish MP Ian Paisley to REM.
Nicky also broke the mould of pop-radio by playing a wide variety of music
including little known tracks from prominent artists and material from groups
trying to break through in to mainstream music.
Nicky's face has become as familiar as his voice. Scottish Television
recruited him for the UK version of American game show 'Wheel Of Fortune' which
he hosted with Carol Smillie from 1988 until 1997 when Bradley Walsh took
over. During that time, he also presented completely different shows
'Panorama' & 'Newsnight' on BBC 1 & BBC 2 television. More
recently, he took over on the BBC1 consumer programme 'Watchdog', a show he has
now made his own after the departure of previous host Anne
Robinson. He has had such an effect that the show and the host have
been lampooned by comic impersonator Alistair McGowan over recent years.
Accolades credited to Nicky include 'Variety Club of Great Britain Radio Personality of the Year' in 1999.
In 2000, many rumours were flying around regarding Sir Jimmy Young leaving his lunchtime BBC Radio 2 show. Nicky claimed he had been approached to take over, but had turned the offer down as he wanted to 'present more serious current affairs programmes'.
Whereabouts: Nicky left Radio 1 in the summer of 1997 to cross networks to BBC Radio 5. After spending considerable time on the 'Nicky Campbell Programme' on Weekday mornings on BBC Radio Five Live 9:00am-12:00noon, he has shunted backwards to takeover on a double-headed Breakfast Show with Victoria Derbyshire.
(Previous breakfast show host Fi Glover took Nicky's morning show, Fi's co-presenter Julian Worricker took on a Sunday morning show, and Matthew Bannister (!) took on Fi Glover's weekend 10pm slot as part of the changes which took place in January 2003.