Bruno Brookes (born Trevor Neil Brookes in Stoke-on-Trent,[1] 24 April 1959) is a British radio presenter who became prominent in the 1980s.
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Brookes attended Bradwell and Seabridge High Schools. He became a disc jockey through youth club discos in his home town before he sent a successful audition tape to his local station, BBC Radio Stoke. He used to wash cars in order to raise money for buying equipment. He spent three years there before being recruited by BBC Radio 1, the national pop network, where he worked as a stand-in presenter for Steve Wright before taking over the teatime show from Peter Powell.
In addition to this show, Brookes presented a rundown of the UK Top 40 singles chart on Sunday evenings between 1986 and 1990 and between 1992 and 1995.
In 1989, Brookes moved to the weekend breakfast show, co-hosting with Liz Kershaw,[2] and also regularly deputised for Simon Mayo on the weekday breakfast show. Three years later he moved to the weekday early breakfast slot, where he remained until he was sacked in 1995 by Trevor Dann, who said "...why is Bruno on? you know, he seems to have a charmed life, because if the view was 'we must get rid of the dinosaurs', you know we've got this behemoth striding the airwaves of dawn" in the BBC TV Documentary Blood On The Carpet: Walking With Disc Jockeys in 2001.
It was announced by BBC Radio 1 in September 2007 that Bruno, along with former chart show colleague Mark Goodier, would return to the station for a one-off Top 40 countdown show on Sunday 30 September 2007, co-hosting the chart with the then-current presenters JK and Joel. This special show formed part of the station's celebrations of the 40th birthday of BBC Radio 1.
While presenting the Top 40, Brookes played the full uncensored version of "Killing in the Name" by Rage Against the Machine on 21st February, 1993.[3] The song contains 17 instances of extreme expletives.[3] Brookes was not made aware of the language in the track and, as a new entry, included it in the broadcast. Unfortunately, Brookes also was working on the rest of the show with his studio monitoring headphone volume lowered and not paying full attention; it was only when his producer brought to his attention what was being broadcast that Brookes quickly brought the track to a fade and continued. By this point, however, it was too late and the station immediately received numerous complaints. This incident has been and still is referred to by numerous rock media, such as Kerrang!.
During his period at Radio 1, Brookes was on the Top Of The Pops host roster and also presented Beat The Teacher on BBC television, a popular teenagers' quiz where pupils would take on teachers in a general knowledge game based on noughts and crosses. He was the last of the shows three presenters, following Howard Stableford and ex-Manfred Mann singer Paul Jones. He also hosted the dating show Love At First Sight and the angling show Tight Lines on Sky.
He also appeared on the cult series Brass Eye when he read an appeal against the fictitious drug, cake.
Co-Hosted arte-x factor with Sarah Greene on Sky 3. From 1998-2000. He coined the show's catchphrase "there's no black ash in here!" The punters loved it.
After Radio 1, Brookes worked for numerous radio stations, presenting a networked show called Bruno At The Millhouse, while hosting a daily mid-morning slot for Leeds station Radio Aire. He ran a DJ school in Newbury, and was Chris Moyles' manager for a while.
He was also involved in a public spat with ex-Radio 1 colleague Bob Harris, whom Brookes had lent money for a flat. When Harris lost his job and was unable to clear the debt, Brookes laid an unsuccessful claim to his extensive and valuable record collection.
In recent years, Brookes has kept a low public profile but has been financially successful with his company Storm, launched in April 2000, which was the UK's first 24 hour internet radio station. Storm Radio was renamed Immedia in 2002, and the company floated in December 2003. Brookes' stake was valued at flotation at over £2 million. Immedia PLC supplies live in-store radio for UK retail companies including: Game, Lloyds pharmacy, Spar, Ikea and HSBC bank.
Brookes returned to the BBC with a guest appearance on BBC Radio Berkshire on Sunday 18 May 2008 and a further appearance on that station on Saturday 5 July 2008 and another appearance on Sunday 30 November 2008.
Also appeared in tribute act to 80s pop sensations and grammy award winners "London Boys" with Vince Earl aka Brookside's Ron Dixon. They were often see at all the top night spots jumping off black ash furniture.
Brookes appeared on the quiz show Through the Keyhole in the late 1990s as one of the celebrities whose homes were visited by Loyd Grossman.
Brookes is known as a supporter of the Conservative Party.[4]
In 2007 Brookes revealed in an interview with Nuts magazine that he had a tattoo of a pirate on his left thigh. He acquired it during the 1985 Radio 1 Roadshow tour as part of a bet with his producer, who in return drank a pint of vinegar.
Brookes was romantically involved for many years with TV presenter Anthea Turner. He married model Debbie Brooker in 1994.[5]
In May 2006, Brookes suffered a heart attack and was treated at St. Thomas' Hospital, London where he was interviewed by Nadia Sawalha as a patient on BBC One's City Hospital. In the interview he said he would try to give up smoking which he acknowledged as the main reason for his illness.[6]
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| Preceded by Richard Skinner |
BBC Radio One chart show presenter 1986 - 1990 |
Succeeded by Mark Goodier |
| Preceded by Mark Goodier |
BBC Radio One chart show presenter 1992 - 1995 |
Succeeded by Mark Goodier |
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