Peter Allen (UK broadcaster)

Peter Edwin Allen (born 1946, Rochford) is UK radio broadcaster, and the current co-presenter of BBC Radio Five Live's Drive programme.

Early life

He comes from Essex, attending the independent Brentwood School with Jack Straw (and Noel Edmonds was three years below). At 18 he left school and worked for his local newspaper. He emigrated to Australia and worked for the Sydney's Daily Telegraph.

Broadcasting career

Allen was ITN political correspondent until 1992 when he was one of "a string of high-profile resignations" following the company's budget cuts. [cite news| first = Georgina| last = Henry| title = Here is the news; ...and this is Trevor McDonald reading it. And making it, as News at Ten's first solo, American-style anchorman in place of the familiar double-act. But what's behind this change and all that hi-tech jazz?| work = The Guardian| publisher = Guardian Newspapers| page = 2| date = 1992-11-09| accessdate = 2007-03-06] He left ITN to join London News Network. [cite news| first =Melinda| last =Wittstock| title = After the break, trouble| work = The Times| publisher = Times Newspapers| date = 1992-10-13| accessdate = 2007-03-06]

On 1 March 1994 the BBC announced that Allen was to host its new "flagship" Breakfast programme. [cite news| first = Maggie| last = Brown| title = Media merger rules 'unfair' to small firms; TV regulator attacks two-franchise limit| work = The Independent| publisher = Newspaper Publishing| page = 6| date = 1994-03-02| accessdate = 2007-03-05] In 1997 the Breakfast programme was extended by half an hour.cite news| first = Alexandra| last = Frean| title = Bringing politics a-Live| work = The Times| publisher = Times Newspapers| date = 1997-04-23 | accessdate = 2007-03-05] Also in 1997 "The Times" described the "witty repartee" of Allen and co-presenter Jane Garvey as the best illustration of the station's tone, "friendly, informal, brisk and, mercifully, not terribly politically correct."

On 31 August 1997 Allen and James Naughtie hosted the BBC Radio coverage of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales which saw Radios 2, 3, 4 and 5 compressed into a single service. [cite news| first = Mark | last = Lawson | title = The death of Diana; Sky and CNN were first, but a royal death is a BBC matter| work = The Guardian| publisher = Guardian Newspapers| page = 7| date = 1997-08-31| accessdate = 2007-03-05] This coverage won a Sony Award for best news event. [cite news| first = Paul| last = McCann | title = Media: Magic on the air at Radio Five| work =The Independent| publisher = Newspaper Publishing| date = 1998-05-11| accessdate = 2007-03-06]

During 13 years together at Five Live, Allen and Garvey won 6 Sony Awards including the gold award for news broadcaster of the year in 2002. [Perthen, Amanda. BBC's golden couple split; One Show host Adrian Chiles and Woman's Hour presenter Jane Garvey break up after ten years of marriage, "Mail on Sunday" 29 June 2008.] [cite news| first = Matt| last = Wells| title = John Peel wins top radio accolade| work =The Guardian| publisher = Guardian Newspapers| page = 11| date = 2002-05-03 | accessdate = 2007-03-06]

In 2007, Allen had been considered for the Radio 4 "Today" programme to replace John Humphrys, but was not ultimately chosen.

Personal life

He follows Tottenham Hotspur.

References

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/presenters/allen_biog.shtml Presenter Page on 5Live]
* [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-484768/BBC-Oxbridge-snobs-stop-radio-star-presenting-Today-programme-Essex-boy.html "Daily Mail" September 2007]
* [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/my-mentor-fi-glover-on-peter-allen-452577.html Fi Glover "The Independent" June 2007]