Radio 2 - 1970s Programme Themes: Charlie Chester

[@bobhellier]

Always enjoyed CHARLIE CHESTER on sunday soapbox on radio 2 from 1978 great show RIP Charlie

[@markcrook4615]

This was also the theme tune to Mr and Mrs on HTV in early 70s

[@stepheng8779]

I used to nag for the radio to be tuned to radio 1, how I wish I could go back and just shut up and listen 😄

[@Glenn1967ful]

I hated this show as a kid, same as Sing Something Simple, as you knew what was on Radio 1 or Metro at the same time. Now I see Charlie Chester's show as something we'd never get now, a mixture of charity appeals, pre rock and roll music and requests from listeners. Also he was very big in promoting brass band music and created Listen To The Band, a show the BBC ditched for no reason a few years ago.

[@BackToTheBlues]

That was a different intro for Charlie, it usually went like this... With a box full of records And a bag full of post, It's Radio Soapbox, And Charlie - your host!

[@Knightyknight72]

This was also used so many times as interval music at the start of the afternoon's broadcasting on BBC1 North West leading up to the regional news bulletin before Play School. Amazing what you can remember as an 8 or 9 year old child!

[@bobhellier]

happy memories of sundays on radio 2 from the seventies onward

[@potbelliedfool]

Thanks so much for posting this-it's been driving me insane trying to put a name to this music. I was barking up the wrong tree cos I first thought it was a 70s sport theme, and then a kid's show theme...and then, out of nowhere, the phrase Charlie Chester came into my head.

[@arthurvasey]

I believe that it was both - my addled brain has it in my head that a channel used it for a children’s programme revolving around sports - and, no - it was not Stop Watch - this goes back to the late 60s - I think it might have been called Star Sport or something like that - didn’t last long!

[@TicoStudio90]

Oh Wow.... What a memory... What an amazing tune. Really loving this channel 👏👏👍👍❤️❤️

[@spankysmp]

Ahhhhhhhh. Wonderful - always used to catch the end of this before the chart show started on VHF and not forgetting the start of 'Sing Something Simple' after the weeks number one!

[@anthonyperkins7556]

Whilst Radio 2 FM frequencies carried the Radio 1 Top 40 in stereo and Radio 1 till midnight, the warm fuzzy 433 and 330 metres (693 and 909 kHz) MW got Charlie Chester 5 - 7.

[@bobhellier]

also at the end of show he said be nice to your neighbour and see you next week

[@mattsawyer343]

He didn't live next door to Fred West

[@neilrobinson1761]

The time when Radio 2 was a quality station, unlike day.

[@rogerhoner3718]

The great Alan Moorhouse