Janice Long
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Janice Long is an English radio broadcaster currently working on BBC Radio 2. Her show is on Sunday to Thursday nights from midnight to 03:00.
She was born on April 5, 1955) in Liverpool. Janice is the sister of TV personality Keith Chegwin and guitarist Jeff Chegwin[1].
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[edit] Early career
Having tried out a career in the airline business and then living in Amsterdam for almost a year in a tent, Long found work in radio as a station assistant at BBC Radio Merseyside in Liverpool.
Long started presenting shows for the station shortly thereafter and became known for her live "Streetlife" sessions. This show was lucky enough to coincide with a revival in the Liverpool music scene with many local new wave artists such as Echo & the Bunnymen, Pete Wylie, Hambi and the Dance, Afraid of Mice, The Icicle Works, and China Crisis. In 1978, Janice Long appeared as a contestant in the very first edition of the Yorkshire Television game show 3-2-1.
[edit] BBC Radio 1
After being interviewed by Paul Gambaccini, Long joined BBC Radio 1 in 1982, presenting a Saturday evening show between 7:30 - 10pm. For several years (1984-87) she presented the Monday - Thursday evening show from 7.30-10pm & Singled Out on Friday evenings from 5.45-7pm.
The evening show was a precursor of the later shows of Steve Lamacq and Zane Lowe, playing a wide range of music (especially of the indie-rock and dance genre) and including a number of features including a weekly "diary" by John Walters, who at the time was John Peel's producer. She was the only female DJ to host Top of the Pops or do Roadshows.
At the end of 1987, Long was fired from Radio One for being pregnant and unwed to her now partner of 20 years. However then Radio One controller Johnny Beerling claimed she was offered a weekend show on return from maternity leave, which she refused.
[edit] The Superstation, GLR and Radio 5
In 1988, Long was hired by Richard Branson's ill-fated overnight The Superstation. In 1989, she joined London station BBC GLR, taking over from Nick Abbot on the breakfast show. At the time, GLR was being run by future Radio 1 controller Matthew Bannister and future Radio 1 executive Trevor Dann. In 1991, Long left the breakfast show of her own volition but continued to work for the station, where she took over a weekend show. In addition to this, she was heard presenting and producing occasional shows on the old BBC Radio 5. Long became involved with XFM in London, when it had a restricted service license and played a crucial part in its bid for a permanent license.
During her tenure at GLR, she was not universally liked for her political and environmental views - in print her sternest critic was Jeremy Clarkson, who stated that he "could not stand her" and even went so far as to complain about her to GLR's management. A copy of his (then current) article of criticism can be found in Clarkson on Cars.
[edit] Crash FM
In 1995, Long moved back up to Liverpool, where she set up her own Radio station, Crash FM. With support from Bob Geldof, Boy George, and Primal Scream amongst others, she put together an RSL and a successful bid for a permanent license.
[edit] BBC Radio 2
In 1999, Long started appearing on the rejuvenated BBC Radio 2, presenting a Saturday afternoon show from 3pm to 6pm.
Since 2000, she has been a weekday presenter and hosts a show between midnight and 3am Monday to Friday originally from Birmingham but now from the BBC's studios in London, the city where she now lives with her family. Live music has included sessions from The Wombats, The Enemy, The Twang, The New Scientists, Mystery Jets, Adele, The Hollidays, The Zutons, Primal Scream, Kasabian, Amy McDonald, Hard Fi, Faithless, The Manic Street Preachers, One Eskimo, Josh Ritter, The Stranglers, Paul Weller, Morrissey, Moby, Dandy Warhols, Stereophonics, Aslan , and a significant number of new and unsigned band like Married to the Sea, Elle S'Apelle, Vijay Kishore, Damien Denmpsey, Amsterdam, Sam Isaac, Amy Winehouse did her first radio session after Janice gave her a go before anyone else. As of late 2007, Janice has begun to champion her listeners under the group name, 'the two percenters'. This came about due to a word choice game that employed tricks to produce the same answer for all that played it. However, most of the listeners to Janice Long did not produce the intended answer and thus were said to fall into the two percent category of people for whom the game does not work.
[edit] Other radio work
As well as a daily show on Radio 2, Long can also be heard on BBC WM on Saturday mornings from 9am-12pm. Janice also had a spell from 2002 to 2004 presenting The Dream Ticket on BBC 6 Music, which aired from 10pm to midnight, five days a week.
[edit] Other Work
Long has recently appeared on the X Factor, Countdown, The Biography Channel, and is about to be the voice on Desperate Midwives on BBC Three TV.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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