Radio Active

Radio Active was a radio comedy series broadcast on BBC Radio 4 between 1980 and 1987. The basis of the show was that of a 'local national' radio station, allowing for the sending up of not only radio presenting foibles and cliches but also musical parodies: one of the most inspired of these was the fictional group the Hee Bee Gee Bees. The show's cast included Angus Deayton, later to become (in)famous as the host of topical news quiz Have I Got News For You (which in turn was based on a Radio Active sketch).

Aside from Peel's airing of the Hee Bee Gee Bees single released pursuant to the show, he played himself in an episode first broadcast on 05 September 1987: he was 'interviewed' by the incompetent Martin Brown (Michael Fenton Stevens), who clearly has no idea who Peel is. What follows is a transcript of this taken from an off air recording.

Martin Brown: ''"I'm going to be talking to one of the best-known faces on radio, not to say voices on television. Will you welcome John Peel!" (thunderous audience applause)'' John Peel: "Hullo." MB: "Who are you?" JP: "John Peel." MB: "Hello John, nice of you to come along. Now now John Peel, starting with one or two facts about you: you're known of course for your jolly upbeat style and all the funny voices you do on your show, aren't you?" JP: "Er, no." MB: "No no no, I'm sorry, I've still got the notes I made when we were trying to get Kenny Everett. OK, and you're the brother of Emma Peel, aren't you?" JP: "No." MB: "No no no, and you're a disc jockey?" JP: "No no no, I'm a horse jockey actually." MB: "A horse jockey?!? Oh dear..." JP: "No no, I'm a disc jockey." MB (clearly relieved): '"Oh right! A disc jockey and a horse jockey? That's amazing!" JP: "I'm not a horse jockey at all, I'm a disc jockey. It was a joke." MB: "A..." JP: "A joke." MB: "Yes yes, very amusing. Thank you very much indeed! Now turning to your job as a disc jockey, you must have lots of amusing stories about disasters in the studio." JP: "No no, not really." MB: ''"I have!" (audience applause)'' JP: "Yes, I thought you might have." MB: (curious wailing noise) 'JP: "What's the matter?" MB: "Horse jockey! Ha ha ha! Anyway, it seems, John, that in many ways as disc jockeys, there are lots of similarities between us." JP: ''"Well yes, you could say that we both take risks: I take risks with new bands, and you take risks by putting your fingers in the mains socket like that." (electrical shock noise)'' MB: "Ow! That's why I keep being suddenly thrown across the studio. Now now John, I expect like me you don't just do your radio shows, you also do quite a few discos and private functions." JP: "A few." MB: "Yes, and what do you find usually gets people dancing? The waltz or the foxtrot?" JP: "Mmm, well I don't usually play foxtrots. No no, with me it's a few cha-chas, a couple of rumbas, and then Al Martino singing Spanish Eyes." MB: "Really?" JP: "No no, not really, it was another joke." MB: ''"Oh right, yes (really strange laugh), oh horse jockey! Well John, I'll be talking to you later, but for now I'd like to give you this jingle that I've made specially for your show: I'll just play it for you now." (truly awful, amateurish noise) "In return, I just wonder if you'd sing this jingle for my show, that I've written for you."'' JP: "This one?" MB: "Yes, if you can make it nice and jolly!"'  JP (without enthusiasm): ''"Right." (clears throat, in tuneless, lugubrious voice) "I quite like Martin Brown."'' MB: "Yes, marvellous!"

Martin is heard later on recording a session track for JP "which for some reason John saw fit to leave out of his programme."