MANX RADIO TT TEAM

This is me interviewing the maestro of the Mountain Course John McGuinness, as ever under the watchful eye of producer Eunice Cubbon, in the Radio TT commentary box overlooking Glencrutchery Road

This review of Radio TT was posted before the ‘old’ team was dismantled in April 2013.

Radio TT is pulled together for two weeks each year with a combination of full-time radio professionals, part-time freelances, and others whose sole broadcasting experience has only ever been at the TT. It is one of the best teams I’ve ever worked with and one big reason is motivation. We all want to be involved, we all count the days till it starts every year. Teamwork is another factor. There are no over-riding egos. The team dovetails naturally, knowing we can rely on each other.

The ability of each individual is beyond question, whether it’s Roy Moore and Dave Christian describing events at Ramsey and Glen Helen, or Mavis and Heike chatting away in French and German. There’s a lot of good humour all fortnight, off air as well as on air, and that includes those who voices may not be heard but whose presence is certainly felt – the engineers, the timekeepers, and our producer Eunice Cubbon.

With Roy Moore at MGP 2012

The reason this matters is that the days are long and unpredictable. Uniquely in my experience there is never any script, no running order, no formal structure for a live show which can extend over an entire working day. We set off and see what happens. Of course, we are not completely flying by the seat of the pants. There is a tradition and a pattern which were established by Peter Kneale and Geoff Cannell, both overseen by Eunice, and today we amend and update things as we see fit. It’s a bit like the British Constitution – nothing is written down but somehow it all works. In recent years an extra layer of journalism has been grafted on by Tim Glover and Chris Kinley which gives our output a bite which you don’t always find in the live broadcasting of sports events.

In 2012 we were honoured to be nominated in the category of Best Sports Story at the annual IRN (Independent Radio News) Awards.

Radio TT team 2011 with Murray Walker and Maurice Mawdesley

Manx Radio TT raceday line-up in 2010, 2011 and 2012:

Editor: Tim Glover. Producer: Eunice Cubbon. Commentators: Roy Moore (Ramsey Hairpin), Chris Kinley (Pitlane), Dave Christian (Glen Helen). Timekeepers: Pat O’Hanlon (Ramsey Hairpin), Norman Quayle (Grandstand), Tim O’Hanlon (Pitlane), Roy Sweetman (Glen Helen).

Engineers: Darren Leeming (Glen Helen), Ed Rixon (Ramsey Hairpin), Bob Allison and Catherine Nicholl (Grandstand). French commentary: Mavis Brown. German commentary: Heike Perry.

Mavis, Eunice and Heike

Norman Quayle

Dorothy Lambert

CL with Maurice Mawdsley

Charlie Williams, John Kennaugh, Dave Christian

Chris Kinley

Bob and Catherine

Tim Glover, Phil Edge and me at the MGP