Fran Godfrey

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Frances Helen Godfrey (born 29 June 19??) is a BBC Radio 2 newsreader, most famous for her appearances on Wake Up to Wogan, the highest-rated radio show in Britain. She is described by Sir Terry Wogan as "Fran Godfrey - Traffic Totty and Mimi (Me, me, me, me, me...)..." ^[1] Godfrey began contributing to Wake Up to Wogan]] in 1993 and made her final appearance on the show on May 9, 2008. Her affiliation with the show has ceased due to reasons known only to Radio 2 management.

Born in Hampstead, London, Godfrey left England at the age of two to live in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), returning four years later with parents and brothers Tony and Nick to live for a short time near Oxford, before moving to Highcliffe in Dorset. Fran was educated at the Convent of the Cross, and the Polytechnic of Central London (now Westminster University), before moving into secretarial work for several years in London and Bournemouth.

In 1980 she approached the independent local radio station in Bournemouth - 2CR - and accepted a job as a Technical Operator. Godfrey then became Assistant to the Commercial Producer, which involved creative writing and producing. In 1984, Godfrey began presenting, and in time presented every type of programme on the station.

She joined the BBC network in September, 1990, but rose to prominence by being part of the team for Wake Up to Wogan. She received many emails on air, including poetry which often began "I'm in love with Fran Godfrey", and tales of her "Cupboard under the stairs"; once again quoting Sir Terry:

"Fran's lavish penthouse has been the scene of many an unsavoury tale: honest artisans imprisoned for weeks in the cupboard under her stairs, lured there on the pretext of urgent plumbing, grouting, or rendering..."^[2]

Godfrey's newsreader companions on Wake Up to Wogan were: