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| {{Short description|English radio talk show host}}{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}} | |||
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| {{BLP sources|date=February 2012}} | |||
| '''Clive Bull''' (born 23 January 1959) is an English ], best known for presenting a late-night show on ] in ]. | |||
| ⚫ | ==Background== | ||
| '''Clive Bull''' (born ] ]) is an award winning radio talk show host on ] in ], ]. He usually occupies the mid-evening and "time-for-bed" slot, currently 8 pm to 12 MDT, Monday to Thursday, which is the most listened to night-time radio show in London. | |||
| ⚫ | Bull was educated at ] in south east London, between 1970 and 1977 where he was a leading light of the tape-based "College Radio". He has a degree in Educational Broadcasting from the ] and a distinction in ] from The National Broadcasting School. | ||
| He joined LBC as a telephone operator. He worked as a producer for ]'s LBC show ''Nightline'' and later went on to review books for the same show. Later he presented a range of programmes including gardening phone-ins and the station's youth programme ''Young London''. His big break was as host of the overnight ''Clive Bull Through the Night Show'' which ran for several years in the early 1990s. In 1994 he was hired by London News Talk 1152 (as LBC's AM service was briefly known) to host the weekend late-night slot. The following year he moved to weeknights where he remained for 16 years. | |||
| ⚫ | == |
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| ⚫ | ==LBC radio show== | ||
| ⚫ | |||
| Bull's show aired live Sunday to Thursday from 10pm to 1am. With slight variations in show times, Bull occupied the same late night slot from 1995 to 2011 despite numerous changes of station brand and ownership during this time. | |||
| Discussions tend to focus around two or three topics each evening based loosely upon what is in the news, or what interests or affects Bull. However, he encourages callers to talk about whatever they like, on the basis that more interesting discussions come from things people genuinely care about. There were special-interest nights, including the successful science hour series with ]. Between 1999 and 2007 Bull's show was produced by ], who produced his last show on Thursday 20 December 2007. Previous producer Dan Wright went on to work for ] and ]. | |||
| The original 'Through the Night Show', on which Peter Cook called under the pseudonym 'Sven from Swiss Cottage', was captured on film by Channel 4 in 'Nightcaller'. He appeared in the television dramatisation of Cook's life 'Not Only But Always' starring ]. | |||
| The 1991 short television programme ''Night Caller'' followed the callers to Bull's through-the-night show.{{cn|date=October 2018}} | |||
| Clive has also narrated a number of television documentaries for the BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky. He had a non-speaking role in El Dorado, and as an extra in the comms room in ']. | |||
| In June 2011, Bull said he would be taking a break from talk radio, stating that: "After thirty wonderful years with LBC, I'm looking forward to being up all day and going to bed at a sensible hour".<ref>{{cite web|title=The domain www.clivebull.co.uk is registered by NetNames|url=http://www.clivebull.co.uk/|website=www.clivebull.co.uk}}</ref> Bull was succeeded on the Late Show by his friend and former LBC colleague Anthony Davis. Less than a year later, Bull returned to LBC presenting Sunday to Thursday from 7pm to 10pm, starting on ] 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lbc.co.uk/james-reas-lbc-blog-47825/entry/131/8495?cmpid%3DE.LBC_NEWSLETTER_12.03.23_HALC+%281%29%26CMP%3DEMC-SP |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2012-03-23 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306090257/http://www.lbc.co.uk/james-reas-lbc-blog-47825/entry/131/8495?cmpid=E.LBC_NEWSLETTER_12.03.23_HALC%20%281%29&CMP=EMC-SP |archivedate= 6 March 2016 }}</ref> | |||
| Clive is known to enjoy badminton and is a supporter of Chelsea FC. He was once a keyboard player in an 80's disco band, performing in small venues as far north as ]. At this time he worked as a media reviewer and rock journalist for ]. He is married and lives in south London with two children, both boys. | |||
| In September 2018, ] announced a new autumn schedule. Bull moved to weekends to present Saturday 6-8pm and Sundays 6-9pm shows.{{cn|date=October 2018}} In January 2019 these were changed to Saturday 6-10pm & Sunday 6-9pm. In September 2020 these were changed to Saturday 1-4am & Sunday 1-4am. | |||
| ⚫ | == |
||
| ⚫ | ==Acclaim== | ||
| In June 2005, |
In June 2005, Bull came 19th in the '']'' survey of the ], the highest ranked phone-in host. He was described as "a brilliant phone-in host who knows that the way to make captivating talk radio is not to rant or rage, but to create a separate world, away from the nonsense of current affairs – then invite his listeners into it. His show is the most listened-to night-time programme in London and is an understated joy,"<ref>{{cite web|title=Vintage Times - Vintage Times |url=http://www.vintagetimes.org.uk/rt/2005-06-11/ |website=Vintage Times |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312154637/http://www.vintagetimes.org.uk/rt/2005-06-11/ |archivedate=12 March 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> while '']'' called him "The Emperor of night-time talk radio."<ref name="Biography">{{cite web|title=Book Clive Bull - Presenter - JLA|url=https://www.jla.co.uk/presenters/clive-bull|website=www.jla.co.uk}}</ref> | ||
| '']'' said of Bull: "There's no-one quite like him. You get the impression that he's living just a bit dangerously, and that's what makes phone-ins exciting".<ref name="Biography"/> | |||
| ⚫ | He has won several awards including a Bronze ]. The judges described him " |
||
| ⚫ | He has won several awards including a Bronze ]. The judges described him "An exception to the run-of-the-mill phone-in. It was all down to the presenter who appeared so laid back that his callers could not see how he was teasing them. A very dry sense of humour and great fun."<ref name="Biography" /> | ||
| ⚫ | He won |
||
| ⚫ | == |
||
| ⚫ | He won Best Talk Show Host at the ] in 2001. | ||
| Clive Bull entices his callers into a cosy familiarity so that the audience feels it is listening in to a private conversation. The discussions tend to focus around two or three topics each evening based loosely upon what is in the news, or what has interested or amused Clive. The discussions are known more for their unintended (by the caller) entertainment value than for their intellectual content. His producer, Bob "Nice" Johnson, plays an essential role in the show. He often enhances the quality of the calls by providing musical accompaniment, often the theme from ]. From time to time, he leaves his desk to collect a "Number 94" (a 20p coffee from the machine downstairs) for Clive, and also to go to the toilet. This in fact has been integrated as a regular feature in his show, with an accompanying ] of "It's officially time for Bob's tea-break". This sometimes leads to Clive answering calls directly, with no filtering. The result of this is occasionally lunatics making cow noises. Nevertheless, Bob's filtering has previously allowed through callers of the lunatic persuasion, such as "William from Sutton", a ] impersonator, who appeared over ten times. | |||
| ⚫ | ===Celebrity callers=== | ||
| Regular callers appear to believe that they possess special insights into solving the problems of society, the best known of these being the infamous Rosemary from Golders Green. Surprisingly few, however, ring up to give a political speech. This may be due to Clive Bull's disarming style which includes asking the next caller a question based upon what a previous caller said. For example, if someone rings in to say "Failed asylum seekers should be thrown out of the country" they are likely to be asked a docile question such as "Have you ever picked up a penny in the street?". By the time they have had this discussion, the wind has been taken out of their sails. | |||
| ⚫ | *] made a series of calls with the pseudonym "Sven from Swiss Cottage", a Norwegian fisherman who had come to London looking for romance and to escape the fish-obsessed phone-ins of Norway. Over time, Cook created an elaborate story of Sven's attempts to find love, or to find his estranged wife, often claiming to call from remote parts of the world where he believed his wife may have gone. These have been recorded in "Tragically I Was An Only Twin", a collection of his writings and are also available on Bull's subscription podcast. Peter Cook's former neighbour ] remained a regular caller with news of his political activities.<ref name="lbc"> | ||
| {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117100826/http://lbc.co.uk/sectional.asp?id=13351 |date=17 November 2007 }}</ref> | |||
| A surprisingly high proportion of callers appear to be ]s who may be waiting for a fare or actually have a fare in the cab. Listeners may then be treated to a discussion about where the cab dropped off the passenger. | |||
| ⚫ | *] once phoned in to take part in a talent contest as himself. He came seventh. | ||
| ⚫ | *] called in to defend ].<ref name="lbc"/> | ||
| *] (aka: ]) is an Australian personality who is the presenter of nightline on the Australian talk radio station ]. He is an aussie ] on the show who is looking for a wife to take back to Australia.<ref name="lbc2">{{cite web|title=Clive Bull - LBC Radio|url=http://www.lbcradiorocks.com/clive-bull.html|website=www.lbcradiorocks.com}}</ref> | |||
| *] answered a listener's question about a movie (featured on 20 December 2005 Celebrity Callers Special).<ref name="LBC Plus Podcasting"> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090510030157/http://lbc.audioagain.com/index.php?player=search&q=bull&sid=1&page=105 |date=10 May 2009 }}</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | *], called in to join a discussion about Cockney accents, and on another occasion, for listeners to look out for her lost dog, which was subsequently found and returned to her (featured on 20 December 2005 Celebrity Callers Special).<ref name="LBC Plus Podcasting"/> | ||
| ⚫ | *] called in just before leaving to play '']'' when Bull wondered whether she'd had a cosmetic surgery, which she said she hadn't.<ref name="lbc"/> | ||
| *], used to make ] to the show. Years later he had his own show on the station.<ref>{{cite web|title=Iain Lee's Official Blog|url=http://www.iainleeuk.blogspot.com|website=www.iainleeuk.blogspot.com}}</ref> | |||
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| Clive has won several awards including a bronze ]. | |||
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| <!--| a reliable online source for verification. |--> | |||
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| <!--| Any callers added without citations WILL BE DELETED. |--> | |||
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| ⚫ | ==References== | ||
| ⚫ | == |
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| {{Reflist}} | |||
| ⚫ | ==External links== | ||
| ⚫ | *] made a series of calls with the pseudonym "Sven from Swiss Cottage", a Norwegian fisherman who |
||
| ⚫ | * and mirror at | ||
| ⚫ | *] once phoned in to take part in a talent contest as himself. He came seventh. | ||
| *{{IMDb name|id=1832474|name=Clive Bull}} | |||
| ⚫ | *] called in to defend ]. | ||
| *] answered a listener's question about a movie. | |||
| ⚫ | *], called in to join a discussion about Cockney accents, and on another occasion, for listeners to look out for her lost dog, which was subsequently found and returned to her. | ||
| ⚫ | *] called in just before leaving to play ']' when |
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| *] rang on his way home after appearing in a West End show | |||
| *], UK ] 2006 entrant, called about tattoos. | |||
| {{LBC radio}} | |||
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| * | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Bull, Clive}} | |||
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| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ⚫ | * and mirror at | ||
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Latest revision as of 14:32, 17 June 2023
English radio talk show host
 | This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous. Find sources: "Clive Bull" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Clive Bull (born 23 January 1959) is an English radio talk show host, best known for presenting a late-night show on LBC in London.
Background
Bull was educated at Dulwich College in south east London, between 1970 and 1977 where he was a leading light of the tape-based "College Radio". He has a degree in Educational Broadcasting from the University of London and a distinction in Radio Journalism from The National Broadcasting School.
He joined LBC as a telephone operator. He worked as a producer for Steve Allen's LBC show Nightline and later went on to review books for the same show. Later he presented a range of programmes including gardening phone-ins and the station's youth programme Young London. His big break was as host of the overnight Clive Bull Through the Night Show which ran for several years in the early 1990s. In 1994 he was hired by London News Talk 1152 (as LBC's AM service was briefly known) to host the weekend late-night slot. The following year he moved to weeknights where he remained for 16 years.
LBC radio show
Bull's show aired live Sunday to Thursday from 10pm to 1am. With slight variations in show times, Bull occupied the same late night slot from 1995 to 2011 despite numerous changes of station brand and ownership during this time.
Discussions tend to focus around two or three topics each evening based loosely upon what is in the news, or what interests or affects Bull. However, he encourages callers to talk about whatever they like, on the basis that more interesting discussions come from things people genuinely care about. There were special-interest nights, including the successful science hour series with Brian J. Ford. Between 1999 and 2007 Bull's show was produced by Bob Johnson, who produced his last show on Thursday 20 December 2007. Previous producer Dan Wright went on to work for Independent Television News and CNN.
The 1991 short television programme Night Caller followed the callers to Bull's through-the-night show.
In June 2011, Bull said he would be taking a break from talk radio, stating that: "After thirty wonderful years with LBC, I'm looking forward to being up all day and going to bed at a sensible hour". Bull was succeeded on the Late Show by his friend and former LBC colleague Anthony Davis. Less than a year later, Bull returned to LBC presenting Sunday to Thursday from 7pm to 10pm, starting on Easter Sunday 2012.
In September 2018, LBC announced a new autumn schedule. Bull moved to weekends to present Saturday 6-8pm and Sundays 6-9pm shows. In January 2019 these were changed to Saturday 6-10pm & Sunday 6-9pm. In September 2020 these were changed to Saturday 1-4am & Sunday 1-4am.
Acclaim
In June 2005, Bull came 19th in the Radio Times survey of the forty most powerful people on radio, the highest ranked phone-in host. He was described as "a brilliant phone-in host who knows that the way to make captivating talk radio is not to rant or rage, but to create a separate world, away from the nonsense of current affairs – then invite his listeners into it. His show is the most listened-to night-time programme in London and is an understated joy," while The Independent called him "The Emperor of night-time talk radio."
The Observer said of Bull: "There's no-one quite like him. You get the impression that he's living just a bit dangerously, and that's what makes phone-ins exciting".
He has won several awards including a Bronze Sony Radio Award. The judges described him "An exception to the run-of-the-mill phone-in. It was all down to the presenter who appeared so laid back that his callers could not see how he was teasing them. A very dry sense of humour and great fun."
He won Best Talk Show Host at the New York Radio Awards in 2001.
Celebrity callers
- Peter Cook made a series of calls with the pseudonym "Sven from Swiss Cottage", a Norwegian fisherman who had come to London looking for romance and to escape the fish-obsessed phone-ins of Norway. Over time, Cook created an elaborate story of Sven's attempts to find love, or to find his estranged wife, often claiming to call from remote parts of the world where he believed his wife may have gone. These have been recorded in "Tragically I Was An Only Twin", a collection of his writings and are also available on Bull's subscription podcast. Peter Cook's former neighbour Rainbow George Weiss remained a regular caller with news of his political activities.
- Michael Barrymore once phoned in to take part in a talent contest as himself. He came seventh.
- Tony Blackburn called in to defend Smart cars.
- Bruce Mansfield (aka: Bruce Mane) is an Australian personality who is the presenter of nightline on the Australian talk radio station 3AW. He is an aussie larrikin on the show who is looking for a wife to take back to Australia.
- Jane Horrocks answered a listener's question about a movie (featured on 20 December 2005 Celebrity Callers Special).
- Patsy Palmer, called in to join a discussion about Cockney accents, and on another occasion, for listeners to look out for her lost dog, which was subsequently found and returned to her (featured on 20 December 2005 Celebrity Callers Special).
- Kerry Katona called in just before leaving to play I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! when Bull wondered whether she'd had a cosmetic surgery, which she said she hadn't.
- Iain Lee, used to make prank calls to the show. Years later he had his own show on the station.
References
- "The domain www.clivebull.co.uk is registered by NetNames". www.clivebull.co.uk.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - "Vintage Times - Vintage Times". Vintage Times. Archived from the original on 12 March 2007.
- ^ "Book Clive Bull - Presenter - JLA". www.jla.co.uk.
- ^ LBC Radio Archived 17 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- "Clive Bull - LBC Radio". www.lbcradiorocks.com.
- ^ LBC Plus Podcasting Archived 10 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- "Iain Lee's Official Blog". www.iainleeuk.blogspot.com.
External links
- Clive Bull on LBC and mirror at
- Clive Bull at IMDb
| LBC | |
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| Presenters | |
| Former presenters | |
| Related articles | |