John Marsh (newsreader)

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Please improve this article if you can. (February 2007)

John Marsh is a freelance newsreader on BBC Radio 2.

"Boggy", as he has been nicknamed by Sir Terry Wogan, is from Sussex, and was originally a cameraman. However, a radio opportunity came up, and he ended up in BBC Radio 4. In 1982 however, he transferred to Radio 2. Marsh presented various radio shows, but recently became a freelance newsreader, after taking retirement. He frequently contributed to Wake Up To Wogan, joining in the banter with the late Paul Walters and Wogan himself.

He was the original (uncredited) announcer on the first two radio series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy on Radio 4, and returned, credited, to this role in the third through fifth series made in 2004 and 2005.

It is also his voice heard reading the shipping forecast at the end of the Thomas Dolby song Windpower.

[edit] Wake Up To Wogan

Marsh took compulsory retirement at the age of 60 in February 2007. Up until then Marsh's duties on Wake Up to Wogan included reading the news, weather and traffic. He continues to read the news on the network. His appearance on Wogan is now confined to week long events approximately every six weeks.

"Boggy" is also the star of the "Janet and John" stories that Sir Terry reads, after letting slip that his wife was called Janet. These stories often take the form of John parting Janet's company, doing something, returning to Janet to explain the day's events (most of which form double entendres), Janet being displeased and John being attacked - finishing the tale with the words "Poor John". These stories are sold in a book and three CD's - see here - to raise money for Children in Need.

Marsh's newsreader companions are: