Daryl Denham

Daryl Denham is a British disc jockey, radio presenter and songwriter.

Early career

Denham's career started at school, where he was active in producing pop music productions in school concerts, organizing pop quizzes and writing and performing parody songs. He worked privately as a DJ in his own time. After leaving school, he began his first live show at the "Radio Forest" community hospital radio station, based in Epping, Essex. He later became chairman of the organisation and is still a member there today.

His early broadcasting career was at BBC Radio Kent, Invicta FM, (where he once fell asleep during a show), SGR-FM in Essex and Chiltern FM in Dunstable.

Hallam FM

Denham moved to Hallam FM in South Yorkshire in 1996. He presented both the breakfast show and a late night spin-off "Daryl Denham's Unshaven Haven" (aka The X Rated Daryl Denham Show), which was a more risque version of a breakfast show format, featuring parody songs and skits.

100.7 Heart FM

In 2000, Denham moved to 100.7 Heart FM in Birmingham, presenting their Breakfast Show and winning the Sony Radio Academy Awards Breakfast Music Award.[1][2] He was summed up by the judges as "a welcome blast of fresh air....Daryl is a broadcaster who does not underestimate or patronise his audience and avoids relying on base, easy humour. He also showed a refreshing depth of understanding of the music played. An extremely rich and creative programme very worthy of a Gold Award."

Whilst at Heart FM, he performed several spoof sketches, off-the-cuff jokes and wacky competitions. He remained there until December 2001.

Virgin Radio

On 2 January 2002, Denham broadcast his first national show, as Virgin Radio hired him to present their 5 - 7pm Drivetime show from Monday - Thursday and a Saturday Morning show from 10am-2pm.

From 28 January 2002, Denham presented the 6-10am Breakfast Show,[3] after the sudden departure of Steve Penk, who was expected to take over the Drivetime show. As Denham took over Breakfast, evening show presenters Pete Mitchell & Geoff Lloyd (aka Pete & Geoff) took the Drivetime show. In addition to the Breakfast show, Denham still continued with his Saturday morning show.

On 6 January 2003, Denham took over the weekday drivetime show from 5 - 8pm, with Pete & Geoff taking over breakfast. In July 2003 his drivetime show went out from 4-7pm.

In January 2004, Denham took over the Weekend Breakfast show for the station from 6-10am, where he remained until he left the station in June the same year.

Century 100-102

Denham moved to 100-102 Century FM in the North-East of England in August 2004, presenting the weekday breakfast show from 5.30-9am. However in April 2005 he resigned on-air, stating that he had personal problems and was leaving the station.

Back to Hallam

On Saturday 18 June 2005, Denham returned to Hallam FM in South Yorkshire, taking over a Saturday Morning show from 10am-2pm. In January 2006, he took over the Weekday Mid-Morning show for the station from 9am-1pm, where he remained until early 2007.

Real Radio Yorkshire

Denham joined Real Radio Yorkshire on 5 March 2007,[4] taking over the weekday evening show from 7-10pm. He presented their Breakfast show with Gayle Lofthouse before taking over the Real Drive Home from 4-8pm with Dixie replacing him on the breakfast show. A further move in the schedules saw Denham move to mid-mornings (9am-1pm) in 2011, with Pete Egerton moving to drive.

On 2 November 2012 he presented his final mid-morning show for Real Radio.[5]

Smooth Radio

Daryl was heard on Smooth Radio through the night in December 2012. He is also the main cover for Simon Bates on the Smooth Radio Breakfast during the Christmas 2012 period. Following a major overhaul of the station's schedule in January 2013 Denham became Smooth's weekend breakfast presenter, succeeding Pat Sharp.[6]

In January 2014, it was announced Denham had left Smooth Radio with immediate effect.[7]

Songwriting

Daryl Denham has hit the charts twice. Whilst at Virgin he re-wrote the lyrics of the Jam's 'Going Underground', taking 'Go England' to number 26 as The England Boys. Then in 2005, he scored a number 11 hit as Pondlife with 'Ring Ding Ding', the original Crazy Frog song.

He has also written songs for Kid Creole and Black Lace.

Stand Up - The Musical

In September 2013 Denham produced a new musical he'd written called 'Stand Up'. It told the stories of three comedians at different stages in their lives and starred Darren Day, Lionel Blair, Billy Pearce and Dean Sullivan. The workshop production ran for a week at the Floral Pavilion, New Brighton and showcased twenty new songs Denham had written with co-producer Maurice Cheetham.

Trivia

References

  1. ↑ Sony Radio Awards 2001 - Waveguide
  2. ↑ Sony Radio Academy Award winners - Radio Now 06/05/2001
  3. ↑ Denham to front Virgin breakfast show - Guardian 25/01/2002
  4. ↑ Real deal for Daryl Denham - Radio Today 02/03/2007
  5. ↑ Real Radio introduces networked daytimes Radio Today, November 2012
  6. ↑ "Pat Sharp gets daily show on Smooth Radio". Radio Today. 7 January 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  7. ↑ "Daryl Denahm exits Global's Smooth Radio". Radio Today. 8 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.

External links

Media offices
Preceded by
Pat Sharp		 Smooth Radio
weekend breakfast show presenter
January 2013 – January 2014 		Succeeded by
Emma B and Eamonn Kelly