Clive West

Programme Manager and Presenter

Background: Clive got the ‘music bug’ at a very early age: “My Dad always played music around the home since I can remember and that has had a major effect on my life. I now can’t go anywhere without having music being played. It drives my wife mad.”

At 16 he joined The New Malden Youth Club where he first cut his teeth as a DJ winning ‘DJ Of The Year’ 6 months later and again a year after that.

In the 80s Clive, along with his friend Paul, set up their own mobile disco ‘The Ballroom Blitz’ and were soon regulars at pubs and parties around the SW London area.

In 1988 Clive joined Hospital Radio St Helier.

Whilst there he got involved with the cable radio station Eclipse FM. Here he met some of the people on Radio Jackie today: Russ Holding, John Noble, Des Paul and Steve Mowbray.

Then Eclipse (along with Jackie) lost the licence race to run a local radio station for SW London and closed down. Clive still dabbled in the odd bit of radio until a chance phone call from Russ Holding, in 2001, regarding a vacancy on Thames Radio (the station that had won the licence) and was promptly signed up and has been on the 107.8 frequency since.

Lives: In Sutton with his wife, teenage daughter and cat “Marvin”.

One word that describes you: Hairy

Tell us a two surprising facts about yourself: I used to co-produce “Pick Of The Pops II” with Alan Freeman at Capital Radio. I came second in a May Queen competition at the New Malden Youth Club.

First record ever bought: Little Willy by The Sweet.

Radio Heroes: Kenny Everett, Roger Scott, Alan Freeman, John Sachs and Chris Tarrant.

Comedy Heroes: Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers, Monty Python, Paul Whitehouse, Ronnie Barker and Seth McFarlane (Family Guy).

Musical Influences: My music collection starts from classical to the present day. My all time band has to be The Stranglers. I’ve seen them live over 50 times!

Favourite parts of South West London: Sutton, Beddington Park, Epsom Downs, Richmond Park, and any pub by the river.

Best bit about working at Radio Jackie: Being the first to hear all the new music.

Worst bit about working at Radio Jackie: Early starts are never great fun.