Stephen Nolan
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| Stephen Nolan | |
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| Born | 1973 Belfast, Northern Ireland. |
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| Occupation | Radio and television presenter |
Stephen Nolan, born Belfast in 1973, is a radio and television presenter for BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Radio Five Live. He was educated at Royal Belfast Academical Institution, and The Queen's University of Belfast where he studied French and Business Studies.
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[edit] Broadcasting career
Nolan is not one to sit on the fence, in fact he regularly gets so passionate about the subjects he talks about as to raise his voice an octave or two. Self-deprecation also plays a certain part in his personality, making jokes about his weight, for example. Stephen once infamously went on a Northern Irish TV dieting show during which he actually gained 1 stone (almost 6.5 kg) in weight. He featured on the front page of the Northern Ireland edition of the Daily Mirror newspaper (28 March 2006) talking about his current weight (17 stone) and his willingness to consider stomach stapelling surgery. It was reported in the Sunday Life newspaper (3 August 2006) that Nolan is now heavier than ex-colleague and fellow Belfast CityBeat radio DJ Stuart Robinson, the self confessed previous holder of Ulster's 'biggest' radio presenter. In February 2007, when covering the story of David Cameron's apparent drug use as a young person, Nolan told his Five Live radio audience that he had tried a cannabis joint on one occasion while at school.
In his UK radio show, he frequently makes cheeky references to the Northern Irish Football Team's victory in 2005 over England. However, his heritage can come into more practical use, particularly in terms of The Troubles in Northern Ireland and related issues such as terrorism, identity and policing.
[edit] Radio
Following the launch of his talk radio career on the commercial station Belfast CityBeat, Stephen's success at the Sony Awards persuaded BBC Northern Ireland to poach him for their output. Since 2003, he has presented The Stephen Nolan Show on BBC Radio Ulster.
Since July 2005, he has presented his own weekend phone-in show for BBC Radio Five Live, airing from 10pm to 1am every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, as one of the few Northern Irish presenters on mainstream UK radio. In doing so he spends his weekends in Manchester, from where the programmes are broadcast. In the handover to Gerry Anderson show at half past ten each morning Stephen Nolan is usually on the end of a putdown or witticism from Mr Anderson. In 2006 he was involved in a charity "boxing" match with Gerry Anderson in aid of Children in Need. Stephen Nolan was knocked down from a stray uppercut from Gerry Anderson.[citation needed]
In May 2008 Stephen featured heavily on Chris Moyles' Radio 1 Breakfast Show for the line "That is not my name" in his heavy Northern Irish accent, a mis-quote of the Sue Tilley interview with ITV News. Moyles has also edited a clip of Stephen to make it sound like he is telling his listeners to "buy good crack!" When the message is really just the way Stephen chooses to end some of his calls, by saying "Bye, cheers; bye, good craic."
[edit] Television
- Nolan Live on BBC Northern Ireland, a weekly television debate and phone-in show. On-air advertising slogan: "Love it or hate it, Nolan Live gets you talking."
- Fair Play, on BBC Northern Ireland, a weekly consumer watchdog programme. Currently not on air.
- Mission Employable, on BBC Northern Ireland, a series helping a group of unemployed people to find their dream career. Currently not on air.
- Children in Need (2007), on BBC Northern Ireland, presenting part of the show from Northern Ireland with Christine Bleakley and John Daly.
- Panic Attack (2008), a new game show, six episodes on Friday nights (starting 11 April 2008).
[edit] Awards
- In total, twelve Sony Radio Academy awards. Of these, seven are Gold awards, giving him the record for the most Golds in the history of the awards. Five of these were awarded during his time with Belfast CityBeat radio, including: UK Speech Broadcaster of the Year 2003 and for his show, The Stephen Nolan Show, The Speech Programme Award of the Year 2006. Stephen Nolan holds the record for most Sony Gold awards ever presented to one person.
- Royal Television Society Regional Presenter of the Year Award (2005 and 2006)
