Nick Girdler

Nickgirdlerunderwater

Nick Girdler is a freelance radio broadcaster who has worked for BBC Radio Solent since 1972.

Following a short-lived retirement in 2006 Nick came back to Solent in 2009 and currently presents the Sunday Mid-Morning show.

He continues to have an extremely loyal following and when he announced his retirement in 2006 the number of calls, texts and emails on his last day broke all previous records, as listeners flocked to express their appreciation for his programmes and to wish him well for his retirement.

On the 3rd June 2009 BBC Radio Solent announced that Nick Girdler would be returning to the station, to host a Sunday morning (9am-12) programme from the 14th June 2009

Competitions

The BBC doesn't favour competitions anymore so 'The Top Ten' is not a competition but a BBQ...as Nick would say. The Top Ten lasts for the duration of a three hour show. An example being 'The Top Ten Runs', with easy answers such as Dexy's Midnight Runners and more difficult answers such as 'The National Union Of Railworkers' or NUR...which is RUN backwards! The answers are often "off the planet" and a Top Ten has never been completed. Nick always gives the answers at the end of the show with Number 10 being the most difficult and rarely guessed. The Top Tens are either made up by listeners, Nick, his Producer (Rebecca Parker) or a combination of all three.

Former competitions include:

• Sod-u-ko - based on the popular new numbers game. If the listeners guess the correct number in the correct place, they are asked a general knowledge question. If they can't give the correct answer, it goes out for any listener to answer.
• Crossbar (or Son-of-Crossbar) - Nick gives clues to 5 words or phrases which intersect like a crossword, one word crossing the other four.
• Famous Five - clues are given for 5 words, one in each of 5 'drawers'; Julian, Dick, George, Ann and Timmy. Answers will either start or end with one of the letters in the name of its 'drawer'.
• Top 10 - this began when listeners completed a competition very quickly, so Nick invited them to guess his top 10 James Bond films. The top 10s have moved from being simply a factual list, to one involving wordplay and obscure information.
• The Hard One - a very hard question for which very little information is given initially. Further clues are given as time passes. 'The Hard One' originally ran until it was solved - often several weeks. Recently the 'Well-Hard One' has lasted only a week before the answer is revealed.

Catchphrases

Over the years Nick developed a set of stock phrases which he used regularly

• Gordon Bennett - in place of any expletive
• Love this job - usually after a song Nick likes
• A bit whizzy - to describe anything remotely modern or impressive
• You're not listening fast enough - when a listener guesses an answer already given
• A bit "Balsamic" - infers a bit posh
• The beautiful Bevois Vallee - Reference to an area of Southampton, close to the studio, which is anything but beautiful, spelled Bevois Valley (pronounced Beavers Valley)

Past Features

• The Girdler Line - listeners phone Nick with requests for help after 10.30. Often Nick will provide an answer, or if not a listener will usually provide one swiftly.
• The Newsdog - Nick interviews a local person (usually with something to promote) at 10.00 every day, the second half of the interview is devoted to a review of the daily newspapers.
• The Bloke - Nick's reference to the Sports bulletin whilst on the late shift.
• The Antidote to The Bloke - Nick's apparent disinterest for sport meant that a soothing piece of classical music was always played after the Sports News.

Nick Girdler moments after his failed record attempt

Interests

Nick is a keen sailor (his boat is called Seasaw) and sails in the Solent most weeks. Whenever Nick embarked on a DIY project, listeners were usually informed.

Nick had demonstrated an interest in underwater broadcasting for decades, and so on 4 November 2005 attempted a World record for sub-aqua radio broadcasting. Unfortunately Nick's attempt failed after 90 minutes. He holds the UK record however.

External links

• BBC Radio Player Listen to BBC Radio Solent live online.
• Nick Girdler Has Left The Building A new site for fans of Nick (Nick has also posted here)

Notes

NickGirdleratWembley

Nick at an Outside Broadcast from Wembley stadium following The Saints in the final of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy!

UniversityofThe Shed

Nick receiving 'The University Of The Shed' - unveiled by HRH Bev, from the Canteen.

Nickinhisstudio

Nick in his studio at BBC Radio Solent - September 2010.

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Name	Girdler, Nick
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