Bob Le-Roi

Bob has been in broadcasting virtually his whole life, starting on Radio City from the Offshore Forts off the coast of his native Whitstable. When the Pirates closed, he joined SERED, an electronics and recording company whilst picking up freelance work at BBC Radio Medway.

Late in the day, Radio Caroline showed interest, but before he could join, the ships were towed away. On Radio Caroline’s return, he was invited to make some recorded programmes which were produced by Andy Oldfield. Running his own Commercial Production unit, Entertainment Production Services, he joined the BBC again as a freelancer at Radio Kent.

Whilst still at the BBC, he became involved again with Radio Caroline as part of what was in radio circles universally known as ‘The Whitstable Navy’ from 1983–1990. Moving from the BBC to ILR, Bob spent many happy years at the Kent ILR Invicta Radio, programming, producing and presenting Drive Time, additionally fitting in a weekly show for Radio Fax in Ireland and Radio Europa International. Events changed as Invicta was taken over several times; Bob jumped ship to set up his own station, Medway FM, the last UK ILR and helped gain licences for Thanet Local Radio, Neptune Radio and CTFM whilst also presenting at Channel Travel Radio.

During the 1990’s Bob was invited to present programmes on Radio London and Radio Northsea International when they returned from ships off the Essex coast. He produced weekly programmes for network Juke Box Memories, an ILR sustaining service, then worked at European Klassic Rock, before re-joining Radio Caroline from the Maidstone TV Studios.

For over a year Bob was the voice of Virgin Radio’s top of the hour commercial. He also made programmes for Radio Seagull and the Voice of Peace. When Medway FM was sold, Bob worked for DMG Radio, then GWR, before venturing overseas to Malta to run Calypso FM, taking the station from the bottom of the league to number two.

Bob worked briefly for BFBS TV as a transmission controller and continuity announcer. Hardly radio, he set about bringing back radio from the Forts 40 years after the 60’s pirates closed. He conceived Red Sands Radio, which broadcast from the Red Sands Fort until unsafe, but continued from Whitstable Harbour in all for eight years. Although viewed favourably, with spasmodic local authority support, it was decided to suspend the application for a full licence.

Instead the brand was taken to London and, after two trials, won a full term licence for Maritime Radio serving South East London and North West Kent from the Royal Borough of Greenwich.

Bob also worked for the high-powered Radio Mi-Amigo International, where the Red Sands Radio Production of ‘Bob’s 60’s Splash’ returned to the air. The programme is now broadcast by a number of select stations around the world. Bob still writes copy, voices and produces radio commercials and imaging.

Dj