Mike Smith (television presenter)

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Mike Smith is a British television and radio presenter.

He attended King Edward VI Grammar School (Chelmsford)

He began his broadcasting career at Chelmsford Hospital Radio, before joining London's Capital Radio in early 1981 as the breakfast show presenter. He moved to BBC Radio 1 in 1982, presenting the weekday early show from 6-7am and a Saturday morning show.

In 1983, Smith took over the weekday lunchtime show from 11.30am-2pm until March 1984, when he briefly left to present BBC Breakfast Time. He was one of BBC TV's presenters at Live Aid in 1985.

He returned to Radio 1 in May 1986, taking over from Mike Read on the breakfast show from 7.00-9.30am, where he remained until exactly two years later. Around this time he did several British Touring Car Championship races as well, driving a newly homologated Sierra Cosworth in 1987, and then alongside Frank Sytner in 1988 with whom he often clashed in a BMW M3. He also won the Willhire 24 Hour at Snetterton in 1986, driving a Ford Escort RS Turbo. Veteran commentator Murray Walker remarked that Smith "guaranteed action by the bucket-load".

He is a qualified helicopter pilot. He and his girlfriend Sarah Greene were injured in September 1988 when the helicopter he was piloting crashed in Gloucestershire. Both passengers survived, however, although Sarah broke both legs and an arm, and Mike suffered a broken back and ankle. He was cleared of blame following an investigation and continued to fly.^[1]

Soon after the crash, he became engaged to Sarah. They married in 1989.

In 1989, Mike established a BTCC team known as Trakstar with Robb Gravett. They ran 2 Sierra Cosworths, which had been imported from the Australian Touring Car stable of Dick Johnson. Gravett went on to become runner up in Group A, but Mike struggled with his recovery from the crash. However, loss of a major sponsor in 1990 meant that only one car could be run, which was raced by Robb Gravett who became champion. Mike never raced competitively again.

His TV career includes: Noel Edmonds' The Late, Late Breakfast Show, That's Showbusiness and Julian Clary's Trick or Treat.

He and Sarah appeared as themselves in Ghostwatch.

In 2004, Mike founded Flying TV - a company providing aerial filming services to broadcasters. As well as being Managing Director, Mike often acts as an aerial cameraman ^[2].