Jim Lee (broadcaster)
James "Jim" Lee (born 21 April 1953 in Nuneaton, England) is a freelance continuity announcer and newsreader on BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service as well as providing links for BBC Radio 4 Extra. He often reads the Shipping Forecast.
Early life
Lee was born in Nuneaton, England and lived in Camp Hill (to the west towards Hartshill). He went to the King Edward VI Grammar School in Nuneaton (now the King Edward VI College). He worked for two years in a bank, and then decided to go to college. At Liverpool Polytechnic (now Liverpool John Moores University), he studied Business.
Career
He worked in hospital radio at Walsgrave Hospital, and in 1980 was asked to join Mercia Sound in Coventry. He joined the BBC in 1989. He did the Breakfast Show on BBC CWR for 18 months from 1990, and then the Afternoon Show for two years. The BBC then decided to merge BBC CWR with BBC WM in Birmingham.
In the early 1990s he was involved in trials of DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting – i.e. Digital Radio), but was made redundant on 2 May 1997.
Freelance
Shortly after he re-joined as a freelance continuity announcer on Radio 4 and the BBC World Service, and joined BBC Radio 7 in 2002. He is known for his distinctive accent, and often interjects humour into his announcements. After the Radio 4 UK Theme made it into the UK popular music charts, he introduced it by saying "You don't often hear a hit single on Radio 4 ... but here's the UK theme".
External links
- BBC Radio 4 profile, with photo
- Jim Lee on BBC7 - Profile
- Jim Lee - Began his career at Mercia Sound in Coventry
- History of BBC CWR
