The Who's Who of British DJs Trivia Quiz

Answer: Michael Joseph Pasternak

Emperor Rosko was born Michael Joseph Pasternak, on 26 December 1942 in Los Angeles, U.S. He's the son of Hollywood film producer Joe Pasternak. He became a well-known figure in British radio during the 1960s and '70s, and is best known for his fast-paced, American-style rock shows on Radio Caroline and BBC Radio 1, which helped shape the sound of modern pop broadcasting. His name was inspired by DJs Roscoe and Boscoe, and 'Emperor' was influenced by KYA San Francisco's Emperor Hudson.

His first broadcasting opportunity came while serving in the U.S. Navy when he presented shows aboard an aircraft carrier. Later, in 1964, he joined the famous British pirate station Radio Caroline, quickly becoming one of its most popular voices thanks to his rapid-fire delivery and American flair. Following this, he became part of the original lineup of BBC Radio 1 when the station launched in 1967. He also appeared as a presenter on the weekly music TV show 'Top of the Pops'.

Answer: David Hamilton

'Diddy' David Hamilton, born David Pilditch on 10 September 1938 in Manchester, UK, is a veteran British radio presenter with a long career across BBC and commercial stations. He earned his nickname when comedian Ken Dodd called him 'Diddy David Hamilton' during a performance. He asked for his permission to do so, as he was teasing him for his relatively short stature. The Diddy men were the tiny residents of Ken's mythological Knotty Ash.

He became a household name on BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2 and also presented 'Top of the Pops' in the 1970s. Since the beginning of his career in 1959, he has hosted over 12,000 radio shows and more than 1,000 television programmes. After leaving the BBC, he worked extensively in commercial radio, including Capital Gold and Saga Radio.

He also authored 'The Golden Days of Radio One' and 'Commercial Radio Daze', and in 2024 published his autobiography 'The Long and Winding Road'.

Answer: Dave Lee Travis

'The Hairy Cornflake' is the nickname of David Lee Travis (DLT), a British radio DJ and broadcaster who rose to fame in the 1970s and '80s. He was born David Patrick Griffin on 25 May 1945 in Buxton, Derbyshire. He gave himself his nickname because of his shaggy hair and beard and his breakfast-time radio slot (Cornflakes being a breakfast cereal).

He joined BBC Radio 1 in 1967 as part of the original lineup, becoming one of its most recognisable voices with his shows 'The Breakfast Show' and 'The DLT Show'. He was also a regular presenter on 'Top of the Pops' during the 1970s and '80s. After leaving Radio 1 in 1993, he worked on Classic Gold and other stations, continuing to broadcast well into the 2000s.

His career was overshadowed in later years by legal issues, including charges of indecent assault (he was acquitted of most, but convicted of one in 2014).

Answer: David Jensen

Kid Jensen is the nickname of David Allan Jensen, a Canadian-born British radio DJ and television presenter, best known for his work on Radio Luxembourg, BBC Radio 1, and 'Top of the Pops'. Born David Allan Jensen on 4 July 1950 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, he was dubbed 'Kid Jensen' early in his career as he started broadcasting at just 18 years old when he joined Radio Luxembourg in 1968.

He began on CJOV-FM in Kelowna, Canada, before moving to Europe to join Radio Luxembourg, then joined BBC Radio in 1976, hosting shows like 'The Kid Jensen Show' and 'Jensen's Dimensions'. He became known for championing new music and introducing UK audiences to emerging artists.

He also regularly presented 'Top of the Pops' between 1977 and 1984, often co-hosting with John Peel, and later worked with Capital FM, Jazz FM and other stations, continuing to broadcast well into the 2000s.

Answer: Terry Wogan

Sir Terry Wogan, one of Britain's most beloved broadcasters, was given his nickname by his loyal fan community, the TOGs ('Terry's Old Geezers' and 'Terry's Old Gals') who followed him during his long-running BBC Radio 2 breakfast show 'Wake Up to Wogan'. He himself embraced the title, often joking about it on air.

He was born Michael Terence Wogan on 3 August 1938 in Limerick, Ireland and began his career at RTÉ in Ireland before moving to the BBC in the 1960s, where he hosted 'The Radio 2 Breakfast Show (1972-1984) and later 'Wake Up to Wogan' (1993-2009), which drew 8 million listeners, making him the most listened-to radio broadcaster in Europe.

He was the host of the TV programme 'Blankety Blank', and had his own chat show, 'Wogan'. He also did the commentary on 'The Eurovision Song Contest' for many years and 'Children in Need' from 1980 to 2015, helping raise millions for charity. He was knighted in 2005 after obtaining dual British-Irish citizenship.

Answer: Alan Freeman

'Fluff' was the nickname of Alan Freeman, one of Britain's most popular radio DJs and broadcasters. It was given to him because of his habit of turning up for his show wearing woolly jumpers, and he had a favourite one that he wore until it was covered in fluff balls, making him look like a sheep.

Born Alan Leslie Freeman on 6 July 1927 in Melbourne, Australia, he began his career on Australian radio before moving to the UK in 1957, joining BBC Radio, where he hosted 'Pick of the Pops' (1961-1972, later revived), popularising the chart rundown format. His catchphrases 'Greeting pop-pickers' and 'Not arf!' became legendary among listeners.

He also presented 'Top of the Pops' on TV, hosted classical music programmes on Radio 2 and worked on Capital Radio and Virgin Radio in later years. He was awarded the MBE in 1998 for services to broadcasting. He passed away on 27 November 2006, aged 79.

Answer: Arthur Ballingall

Ally Bally is the broadcasting name of Arthur Ballingall, a Scottish radio disc jockey best known for his 40-year career at Radio Tay. He became one of the most familiar voices in Tayside and Fife, hosting breakfast shows, talk programmes and later running his own production company.

Born in 1952 in Buckhaven, Fife, Scotland, he originally trained in catering and hotel management, working as a chef before discovering hospital radio while recovering from illness. That experience inspired him to pursue broadcasting. He joined Radio Tay at its launch in 1980, initially in sales, but quickly moved behind the microphone on 'The Breakfast Show' in 1981, holding the slot for thirteen years.

He later hosted 'The Ally Bally Show' and 'Scotland's Talk In', interviewing major political figures like Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond. He left Radio Tay in 2020 after forty years, marking the end of an era.

Answer: Trevor Neil Brookes

Bruno Brookes, born Trevor Neil Brookes on 24 April 1959 in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, is a British radio DJ and broadcaster best known for hosting the BBC Radio 1 'Top 40 chart show' in the 1980s and 1990s.

He began DJing at youth clubs before joining BBC Radio Stoke in the late 1970s and became a familiar voice on BBC Radio after joining in 1984. He hosted the UK Top 40 chart from March 1986 to September 1990 and March 1992 to April 1995, making him one of the most recognisable chart presenters of the era. He also presented weekday afternoon and evening shows, plus the weekend breakfast show and was a regular presenter on 'Top of the Pops'.

After leaving Radio 1 in 1995, he continued in broadcasting and business and founded Immedia, a company providing in-store radio and branded music services for retailers, which he ran from 2000 to 2020, returning to radio in 2023 with 'Bruno's Mega Hits' on 45 Radio.

Answer: Keith Chegwin

'Cheggers' was the nickname of Keith Chegwin, a British television presenter and entertainer who became a household name in the 1970s and '80s. He was born Keith Chegwin on 17 January 1957 in Liverpool. 'Cheggers' was a playful shortening of his surname, used affectionately by fans and colleagues.

He started as a child actor, appearing in films like Roman Polanski's 'Macbeth' (1971) and rose to prominence on BBC children's programmes such as 'Multi-Coloured Swap Shop' (with Noel Edmonds, Maggie Philbin and John Craven) and 'Cheggers Plays Pop' (1978-1986). He also presented 'Saturday Superstore' and 'Swap Shop' spin-offs.

He later appeared on reality TV shows 'Celebrity Big Brother' and 'Dancing on Ice'. He died on 11 December 2017, aged 60, after battling idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (a lung condition).

Answer: Bob Harris

'Whispering Bob' is the nickname of Bob Harris, one of Britain's most respected radio and television broadcasters, especially known for his work on 'The Old Grey Whistle Test'. He was born Robert Brinley Joseph Harris on 11 April 1946 in Northampton, England and earned the nickname because of his soft-spoken, intimate presenting style, a stark contrast to the louder, more flamboyant DJs of the 1970s.

He hosted 'The Old Grey Whistle Test', the BBC's late-night TV music show, from 1972 to 1979, introducing UK audiences to artists like Bob Marley, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Emmylou Harris. His calm delivery became well known and was even parodied by comedians, but it also gave the show a distinctive credibility.

He also worked on BBC Radio 1, Radio 2 and Radio 6 Music, championing country, Americana, and rock, and 'The Country Show with Bob Harris' on Radio 2, making him a key figure in promoting Americana in the UK. He was awarded an OBE in 2011 for services to broadcasting.