RICHARD ALLINSON DEGREE | BA ECONOMICS, 1980 COLLEGE | FYLDE PROFESSION | BROADCASTER


Richard’s Greatest Hits


Almost 50 years ago, Richard Allinson stepped into the Bailrigg FM studio for the first time and so began his journey to a national broadcasting career.


Blondie, The Ramones and Average White Band perform there.


“Some people thought that Lancaster was the back of beyond but it was really tuned in. It was a great time. You could see amazing acts there for pennies.”


In his second year, when he had become controller of Bailrigg FM, the role came with a free room on campus, and Richard was presenting the breakfast Rise & Shine show and a Sunday afternoon show.


Richard with Rod Stewart


Perhaps it was fate that the University’s radio station was then based in Fylde College where Richard arrived in 1977.


“I discovered the radio station on the way to the Fylde bar in my first week and was told they were launching a new nightly DJ show so I put my name down.”


The following evening, Richard popped into the station only to be asked by Matt Johnson if he could fill in for a DJ who hadn’t turned up.


“With just 20 minutes notice before I was on air for the first time, I was faced with a wall full of vinyl and told to pick an hour of records.”


4 | STEPS 2026


This baptism of broadcasting fire turned into a career which has spanned 17 years at Capital, another 17 at BBC Radio 2, seven years at Magic Radio and Richard can currently be heard on Greatest Hits Radio.


Among his many memorable moments are attending an ‘awesome’ gig by Sting in Italy, and shopping with David Bowie in New York.


Richard first discovered his love of music as a teenager in Solihull where he ran a mobile disco around Birmingham.


He arrived in Lancaster at a time when the Great Hall on campus was hosting big names in music and has particular memories of seeing


“If someone came into the station with an idea, we would just do it and although we were only supposed to be broadcasting to the campus, we were picked up in other places including Liverpool and Blackpool so record companies sent us all the new music.”


Several of Richard’s contemporaries at the station, like him, pursued a broadcasting career including Mik Wilkojc, who produced Steve Wright on Radio 1, and Bob Nettles, a BBC broadcasting engineer.


When not broadcasting on campus, Richard, who was the first member of his family to attend university, had chosen to study Economics because he was interested in a subject which seemed connected to the real world. His A-Level Economics teacher recommended Lancaster.


“The first time I saw campus was on that October day when I turned up and it was very exciting. It was like a little city and very windy!”


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