James Whale (radio)
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Michael Whale (b. 13 May 1951, London, England) better known as James Whale is a British radio and television broadcaster. He has presented late night phone in programmes on UK radio for several decades, starting on Metro Radio in Newcastle where he was the original presenter of the Nightowls Late Evening Phone-In show from the station's launch date in 1974. He later moved to Radio Aire in Leeds (which was also simulcast with Red Rose Radio from Preston - both being part of the same group, Transworld, owned by Owen Oyston), and at one time his radio programme was televised simultaneously as "The James Whale Radio Show" on late night ITV. Whale has hosted a regular phone-in show on talkSPORT from Sunday to Thursday since 1995.
He has been married to Melinda Whale since 1970, and has 2 children, James and Peter[1].
Whale has won three Sony Radio Awards. He has also written a book "Bald on Top", inspired by his own premature hair loss.
On the 21st of December 2006 he presented The Mike Dickin Tribute Show, a fellow talk sport presenter who suffered a heart attack on 18th of December 2006.
James is currently penning a book and has been asking listeners to suggest book titles. He has said the book should be out by September, 2007.
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[edit] Kidney cancer and related charity work
In 2000, Whale was diagnosed with kidney cancer, and announced on air why he would be leaving. He survived, and says it has affected his outlook on life. Whale set up a charity in 2006, the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer, to fund research and raise awareness of the disease. As part of this he is developing the "James Whale Network" where sufferers or their carers can contact the Fund and ask to speak to other survivors of kidney cancer.[2] Whale has often spoken of his dyslexia,[3] and is a patron of the National Literacy Association.[4]
[edit] 2008 London Mayoral Election
After interviewing UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage on his TalkSport show, James Whale announced that he hopes to run for election as UKIP candidate in the 2008 London Mayoral Election. Although this is now in doubt as 'The Radio Authority' has said Mr Whale would not be able to continue his radio show while being Mayor of London. Nigel Farage said that Whale "not only has guts, but an understanding of what real people think".[5]
