Simon Dee

Simon Dee? Maybe another character from the Chris Evans mould. Someone with huge talent who rose from radio to TV and huge fame; and kinda messed up a bit along the way. Sadly for Simon, though, there was to be no real rehabilitation.

Simon’s radio career began as the first broadcaster on Radio Caroline, with its huge audiences. From there it was quickly off to the BBC Light Programme; and to Radio Luxembourg. Simon appeared on ‘Midday Spin’ on BBC Radio 1’s early days, but fell out of favour after being one of those ‘rulebreaker’ presenters. Mind you, every great station has one of those. Enjoy the beautiful culture clash on this clip, just after the continuity.

TV beckoned, and his ‘Dee Time’ attracted huge audiences. If I say that the show’s closing film sequence saw Dee driving off in an E-type Jag, sat with a blonde model, then you’ll see why I mentioned the talented ginger one in paragraph one. Dee quickly fell out with BBC TV over pay – and then with his subsequent employers, LWT.

Without anywhere to go, Simon signed on the dole- and took up a bus driver’s job. True – Evans has never been seen driving the Number 12 just yet. Dee also ended up in jail. There were some brief returns to broadcasting, but the die was cast.

Simon died in 2009.