Pete Murray (DJ)

Template:Short description {{#invoke:other uses|otheruses}} Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox person

Peter Murray James Template:Post-nominals (born 19 September 1925), known professionally as Pete Murray, is a British radio and television presenter and actor.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He is known for his career with the BBC, including stints on the Light Programme, Radio 1, Radio 2 and Radio 4. In the 1950s, Murray became one of Britain's first pop music television presenters, hosting the rock and roll programme Six-Five Special (1957–1958) and appearing as a regular panellist on Juke Box Jury (1959–1967) and a regular host on Top of the Pops (1964–1969).

Murray was a recurring presence in the BBC's coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest. Murray retired in 2003,<ref name=":2" /> before he returned to broadcasting for a Boom Radio special on Boxing Day 2021, over 70 years after his career began. He returned to the station on Boxing Day 2022, presenting a two-hour show alongside his friend David Hamilton.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Murray has influenced many other radio personalities. Presenter David Hamilton has credited him as an influence and disc jockey Kenny Everett was also influenced by Murray's "ad-libbing style and warmth".<ref name=":8">Template:Cite web</ref>

Early life

Murray was born in Hackney, London on 19 September 1925.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He grew up in Chiswick.<ref name=":0">A story about the Brit who gave BBC a run for its money</ref> Murray's mother once sang in the chorus line for Jack Buchanan, and left the music scene to have a family; Murray's father was a World War I veteran who was badly injured in a gas attack in the Battle of the Somme.<ref name=":0" /> Murray attended St Paul's School, an experience he did not like.<ref name=":0" /> He described himself as a youth as a "thug".<ref name=":0" />

Murray was an extremely shy child, and decided that the best way to overcome his shyness was through acting, and so when he was fifteen, he auditioned for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and despite having no acting experience, was accepted.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":0" />

"I was a shy teenager who enjoyed cinema, theatre and anything to do with show business. I set my heart on becoming an actor and it was Colin Chandler at RADA who changed my life when he said that although I was 'dreadful in couple of plays', he believed I had 'something'". (Murray, 2016)<ref name=":2" />

The school's director, Kenneth Barnes, tried kicking him out; however, Murray argued his way back into the school.<ref name=":0" /> While at RADA, Murray toured with local repertory theatres, and won a bronze medal for his work.<ref name=":10">Online profile from website, October 2009</ref> After graduating with a diploma in 1944, he entered the Air force for the last year of the Second World War.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":9">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":10" />

Career

Radio

In late 1949, Murray's agent approached him with an offer, spending three months in the rebooted English service of Radio Luxembourg, who needed an English speaking disc jockey, for £15 a week.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":7">Template:Cite AV media</ref> He went to an office in London connected to the station, and was hired on the spot and immediately given a box of half a dozen records.<ref name=":7" /> Murray said in a 2015 interview with David Hamilton that the only reason he got the job was because no one else wanted it.<ref name=":7" />

Murray officially joined Radio Luxembourg in September 1950; he was one of its resident announcers in the Grand Duchy, and instead of the expected three months, Murray remained there until 1955.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> During his time for Radio Luxembourg, he stayed in a hotel in the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg.<ref name=":0" /> One day, Murray was given a box of records from America by a native, who told Murray he had "the hottest thing since show business started"; it was a box of rock and roll records.<ref name=":0" /> Murray played one of the records, "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets, four times within fifteen minutes, and credits himself as the "first person that ever played Bill Haley" for a European audience.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":9" />

Murray claims that his "natural charisma" meant that advertisements were always being played on air when he was on (disc jockeys were paid per ad) and states that at one point he was earning more than the chairman of Radio Luxembourg.<ref name=":0" /> Murray once swore live on the air, muttering the word "fuck" to himself, as revealed by him on Radio 4's Quiz Wireless Wise.<ref name=":10" /> Murray left the radio station and returned to London in 1955, feeling that his stay at the station had long passed its due time, and he wanted to return to the UK again.<ref name=":0" />

Back in London, and now calling himself "Pete" rather than "Peter", he continued to be heard frequently on Radio Luxembourg for many years, introducing recorded sponsored programmes. He also presented popular music on the BBC Light Programme, particularly on the programme Pete Murray's Party from 1958 to 1961. Murray joined pirate radio in 1965 and hosted a show, Call in at Curry's, which was broadcast on Radio Caroline.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In September 1968, he stood in for Alan Freeman on Pick of the Pops, while Freeman was in New York. Murray linked up with him for a look at the American pop scene during the two shows that he did.

Murray was one of the original BBC Radio 1 disc-jockeys when the station started in 1967. By 1969, he was one of the mainstays of BBC Radio 2, where for over ten years he anchored the two-hour magazine show Open House five days a week, heard by 5.5 million listeners.<ref>BBC Annual Report, noted in The Times (London), 13 November 1970</ref><ref name=":1" /> One April Fools' Day he pretended that the show was being televised. In 1973 and 1976, he was voted BBC Radio Personality of the Year.<ref>The Times (London), 1 January 1973; The Times, (London), 20 April 1976</ref> In 1980, Radio 2 moved Murray from weekday to weekend programming. In 1981, he began a move into more serious, speech-only radio with a stint as presenter of Midweek on BBC Radio 4. At the end of 1983, the BBC cancelled his radio shows, describing his style of broadcasting as too old-fashioned, which led to Murray leaving the BBC altogether, a decision he later admitted to regretting, calling it a "very big mistake".<ref name=":0" /><ref>"Pete Murray is dropped from BBC shows", The Times (London), 18 October 1983.</ref>

In 1984, he started afresh as a presenter for LBC, a local talk radio station in London. He later won the Variety Club of Great Britain award for his show. Murray introduced his last programme there on 22 December 2002. In August 2008, he returned as a presenter on an Internet-only station, UK Light Radio.<ref>Media Network blog Template:Webarchive</ref> Murray returned to radio to host a special show for Boom Radio on Boxing Day 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2022, he appeared in the Channel 5 documentary TOTP: Secrets & Scandals.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He returned to Boom Radio on Boxing Day 2022 for another show, this time alongside Hamilton. On 2 June 2025, Murray helped Boom Light turn on its DAB+ transmitters at 10:00 a.m. that morning. Murray announced that he would host a slot on Boom Radio on his 100th birthday from 11:00 a.m., playing the biggest songs from his birthday week from the year 1963.<ref name=":8" />

Television

Murray started his career on television in the late 1950s; he co-hosted one of BBC Television's earliest pop music programmes, the skiffle-based Six-Five Special (1957–1958); other regular presenters were Jo Douglas and Freddie Mills. He was a regular panellist on the same channel's Juke Box Jury (1959–1967), and was a panellist on the show's first and last episodes.<ref>"Three leaving cast of Six-Five Special", The Times (London), 26 March 1958</ref><ref name="Stevens">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":0" /> Murray hosted the UK heat of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1959, and provided the British commentary for the contest itself on both radio and television from 1959 until 1961; 1968; 1972 to 1973 for radio; and television commentary for the 1975 and 1977 contest. He was an occasional compère of variety shows at the London Palladium.

During the early 1960s, Murray co-hosted the New Musical Express Poll Winners' Concert, annually held at Empire Pool, Wembley, with acts such as the Beatles, Cliff Richard and the Shadows, Joe Brown and the Bruvvers, the Who and many others. These were shown on television. Murray was the "guest DJ" on several editions of ABC-TV's Thank Your Lucky Stars (1961–1966) and he later hosted Come Dancing.

After being offered a spot by Johnnie Stewart, Murray was among the first regular presenters of Top of the Pops when it began in January 1964. Murray originally turned down the role due to him wanting to focus more on his acting career; however, Stewart convinced him to join the show.<ref name=":7" /> He was one of the original four presenters on the show (himself, Jimmy Savile, David Jacobs and Alan Freeman) who for the first few years hosted episodes in a rotating line-up. Murray hosted the 16 June 1966 broadcast of Top of the Pops, which was the only time in which The Beatles actually appeared in the Top of the Pops studio to perform.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":13">Template:Cite web</ref> The footage was thought to be lost when the tapes were wiped; however, in 2019 almost the entire performance was discovered when a fan, David Chandler, who had filmed the episode on his silent film camera, revealed his copy.<ref name=":13" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

During the taping of one Top of the Pops episode on 24 August 1967, when the show still required artists to either mime or sing live to a pre-recorded backing track, Murray introduced Jimi Hendrix on, who was supposed to mime to his record "Burning of the Midnight Lamp" but instead the song "The House That Jack Built" by Alan Price began to play.<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Selling the Sixties: The Pirates and Pop Music Radio - Rob Chapman 1992</ref><ref>Disc & Music Echo, 2nd September 1967 p.2</ref> Murray has been the sole surviving of the original four Top of the Pops hosts since the death of David Jacobs in 2013.

Murray also appeared in pantomime, and guested on many radio and TV panel games. In 1984 and 1985, he was a team captain on the ITV panel game Vintage Quiz. In 2015, he appeared as a guest on a chat show on Big Centre TV hosted by his friend and former radio colleague David Hamilton.

Acting

After graduating from RADA, Murray found work as a background extra in a few films, including The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp and The Young Mr Pitt,<ref name=":0" /> as well as Caravan (1946), Hungry Hill (1947), My Brother Jonathan (1948), Portrait from Life (1948) and No Highway in the Sky (1951). On the London stage, he co-starred with David Hughes and Edward Woodward in the musical Scapa! (1962).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During the 1960s, he starred in the British sitcoms Happily Ever After (1961-64), opposite Dora Bryan, and Mum's Boys (1968), with Bernard Bresslaw and Irene Handl.<ref>"Disc Jockey in BBC1 Comedy Series", The Times (London), 6 February 1968</ref> Murray also appeared on Escort for Hire (1960), A Taste of Money (1960), Design for Loving (1962), The Cool Mikado (1962), and later Simon, Simon (1970) and Cool It Carol! (1970). On television, Murray played Philippe in "My Friend the Inspector", a 1961 episode of BBC TV's Maigret. He appeared as himself in several productions, including the 1962 British musical comedy It's Trad, Dad! alongside fellow BBC disc jockeys Alan Freeman and David Jacobs, and in "The Writer", an episode of ATV's Hancock (1963).<ref name="BFI">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="comedy">Template:Cite web</ref>

Music

Murray duetted with Vera Lynn on a 1958 Decca EP of songs from My Fair Lady, performing "The Rain in Spain".<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref> In 1960, he released a comedy single "What's It All About?" with disc jockey Brian Matthew.<ref>Billboard, December 12th, 1960 p.6</ref> In 1974, Murray was featured on the Emerson, Lake and Palmer live album Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends – Ladies and Gentlemen as the master of ceremonies, at the beginning of the album. His introduction to the live show ("Ladies and gentlemen"), mixed with the opening line of the bands' song "Karn Evil 9: First Impression, Part 2" ("Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends"), made up the title for the album.

Personal life

Family

Murray was in a relationship with presenter Valerie Singleton from 1967 to 1971 and was engaged to her.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He then married Patricia Crabbe, a former barrister. Crabbe died of breast cancer in 2010.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref> He lives in Wimbledon.<ref name=":2" />

Murray had one son, Michael Murray James. Michael, who was born to a woman from a previous relationship, was a student at Wycliffe College and like Pete, trained at RADA and worked as an actor. Michael committed suicide at the age of 27 in 1981.<ref name=":2" /> When talking about his son's death on live television, Murray became overwhelmed with emotion and afterwards gave talks on coping with family tragedy.<ref>"A suicide in the family", The Times (London), 1 June 1983.</ref> In 2016, Murray stated that the loss of Michael is "something I've never got over and it was a terrible experience".<ref name=":2" /> Carry On star Kenneth Williams once wrote to Pete to tell him that Michael was "a natural comedian".<ref name=":2" />

100th birthday

Murray turned 100 on 19 September 2025. Ahead of Murray's 100th birthday, a show hosted by the Grand Order of Water Rats honouring his life took place in London on 17 September, during which the Water Rats awarded him a Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to him by Mike Read.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":8" /> The event was covered by BBC News, who mistakenly reported his 100th birthday as happening on the day of the event rather than on the following Friday.<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>

Politics

In 1983, Murray appeared as a guest newspaper reviewer on the BBC TV's early-morning magazine show Breakfast Time. During an outburst, he told viewers how to vote at the upcoming election, saying that "a vote for Labour is a vote for communism. May God have mercy on your soul if you don't vote Conservative".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

General

Murray has been a member of the Grand Order of Water Rats since 1969.<ref name=":2" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1975, he released his autobiography, One Day I'll Forget My Trousers.<ref name=":11">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":12">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":10" />

He is a supporter of Arsenal F.C.<ref name=":10" /> Murray enjoys playing many sports, including golfing.<ref name=":2" /> In February 2016, Murray fractured his hip after falling over a telephone wire.<ref name=":2" />

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1943	The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp<ref name=":4">Template:Cite web</ref>	Background extra	Uncredited<ref name=":3">Template:Cite web</ref>
1944	The Hundred Pound Pillow	Office assistant
	Time Flies	Chick
1946	Caravan<ref name=":4" />	Juan<ref name=":3" />
	Jane Eyre	The Reverend Wood	Television movie<ref name=":3" />
1947	Hungry Hill<ref name=":4" />	Lieutenant Fox<ref name=":3" />
	Laburnum Grove	Harold Russ	Television movie<ref name=":3" />
	Captain Boycott<ref name=":4" />	Young officer	Uncredited<ref name=":3" />
1948	My Brother Jonathan	Tony Dakers<ref name=":3" />
	Mas' Bit o' Brass	Photographer	Television movie<ref name=":3" />
1949	Portrait from Life<ref name=":4" />	Lieutenant Keith<ref name=":3" />
	A Pair of Spectacles	Dick Goldfinch	Television movie<ref name=":3" />
1950	The Poltergeist	Bobby Ashley
1951	No Highway in the Sky<ref name=":4" />	Radio operator	Uncredited<ref name=":3" />
1956	A Touch of the Sun<ref name=":5">Template:Cite web</ref>	Honeymooner
1958	Six-Five Special<ref name=":3" />	Himself
	Record Roundabout
1960	Alice Through the Looking Box	Red King	Television movie<ref name=":3" />
	Escort for Hire	Buzz<ref name=":3" />
	Transatlantic	Robert Stanton<ref name=":3" />
1961	A Taste of Money	Dave<ref name=":3" />
1962	Design for Loving	Lloyd Stanford<ref name=":3" />
	Behave Yourself<ref name=":3" />	unknown
	It's Trad, Dad!	Himself<ref name=":3" />
1963	The Cool Mikado<ref name=":5" />	Man in Boudoir<ref name=":3" />
1969	Otley<ref name=":4" />	Radio presenter	Voice only<ref name=":3" />
1970	Simon, Simon<ref name=":5" />	Fireman<ref name=":3" />
	Cool It Carol!	Man at party<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5" />

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1956	ITV Play of the Week	Richard Hilary	One episode<ref name=":3" />
	Hit the Limit	Himself / host	Six episodes<ref name=":3" />
1956—1962	Spot the Tune
1957	These Are The Shows	Himself	Television special<ref name=":3" />
	Pantomania: Babes in the Wood		Television special<ref name=":3" />
1957—1958	Six-Five Special	Himself / host	Fifty-seven episodes<ref name=":3" />
1959	Eurovision Song Contest 1959		Commentator<ref name=":3" />
1959—1979	Juke Box Jury	Himself	Seventy-eight episodes<ref name=":3" />
1960	Man from Interpol	Haynes	One episode<ref name=":3" />
	Maigret	Philippe
	Dial for Music	Himself / host	Four episodes<ref name=":3" />
	This is Bobby Darin		Television special<ref name=":3" />
	Saturday Spectacular	Himself	One episode<ref name=":3" />
	The Tin Pan Alley Show	Himself / host
	Laugh Line		Nine episodes<ref name=":3" />
1960—1961	Summerhouse	Himself	Two episodes<ref name=":3" />
1961	Boyd Q.C.	David Spencer	One episode<ref name=":3" />
	The Men from Room 13	Curly Elphick	Two episodes<ref name=":3" />
	Call me Captain	Himself / narrator
1961—1966	Thank Your Lucky Stars	Himself / host	Thirty-three episodes<ref name=":3" />
1961–1964	Happily Ever After<ref name=":5" />	Peter Morgan	Twelve episodes<ref name=":3" />
1962	Winning Widows	Flint Clarke	Two episodes<ref name=":3" />
1963	Hancock<ref name=":5" />	Compere	One episode<ref name=":3" />
	Jezebel ex UK	Larry
	Don't Say a Word	Himself
	The Larkins
	Music Match	Himself / host<ref name=":3" />
1964	One Night Stand
	Open House
	Drama 61-67	Himself	One episode
	Highlight: The Singing Cinema
1964—1988	Top of the Pops	Himself / host<ref name=":3" />	One hundred and two episodes
1965	Val Parnell's Sunday Night at the London Palladium	Himself	One episode
	Cribbins
	Is Your IQ Ok?
1965–1967	No Hiding Place	Frank Dorman (1965) Bobby Vowles (1967)	Two episodes<ref name=":3" />
1965—1966	Glamour...	Himself / host	Eleven episodes<ref name=":3" />
1966	SOS: The Record Star Show
	Action		Three episodes<ref name=":3" />
	New Musical Express Poll Winner's Concert		Television special<ref name=":3" />
	Countdown	Himself	One episode<ref name=":3" />
	A Royal Gala		Television special<ref name=":3" />
1966—1972	Quiz Ball
1967	The Record Star Show	Himself / host<ref name=":3" />
	How to Live with a Neurotic Dog	Himself / narrator<ref name=":3" />
	Carnival Time	Himself / host	Thirteen episodes<ref name=":3" />
1968	Mum's Boys<ref name=":5" />	Robin Fosdyke	Seven episodes<ref name=":3" />
	The Dickie Henderson Show	Himself	One episode
1969	Come Dancing
	Miss World 1969	Himself / host
1970	A Present for Dickie		One episode<ref name=":3" />
	Mike and Bernie's Scene	Himself
	Under the Table You Must Go
	Time Out for Sardinia	Himself / narrator
1970—1971	The Golden Shot	Himself / host	Seven episodes<ref name=":3" />
1971	The Melodies Linger On
1972	The Two Ronnies	Host	Television special<ref name=":3" />
1972—1973	The Morecambe & Wise Show	Major Ivor Request (1972) Himself (1973)	Two episodes<ref name=":3" />
1973—1995	This Is Your Life	Himself	Eight episodes<ref name=":3" />
1973—1978	The Generation Game		Two episodes<ref name=":3" />
1973—1977	Whose Baby?		Three episodes<ref name=":3" />
1973—1976	Password
1973—1974	Jokers Wild		Six episodes<ref name=":3" />
1974	Whodunnit?	Panelist	One episode<ref name=":3" />
	Just a Nimmo	Himself
	Danny La Rue: The Ladies I Love		Television film<ref name=":3" />
	Fifty Bighearted Years: The Variety Club of Great Britain's Tribute to Arthur Askey	Himself / host<ref name=":3" />
	Radio Wonderful	Himself	Short<ref name=":3" />
1974—1976	Looks Familiar		Three episodes<ref name=":3" />
1974–1975	Second Time Around	Disc Jockey	Two episodes<ref name=":3" />
1975	Eurovision Song Contest 1975	Himself	Commentator<ref name=":3" />
	Parkinson		One episode<ref name=":3" />
	The Book Programme
	Look Who's Talking		Two episodes<ref name=":3" />
1975—1978	Celebrity Squares		Six episodes<ref name=":3" />
1975—1976	Husband of the Year
1976	Saturday Night at the Mill	Himself	One episode<ref name=":3" />
	Going a Bundle
	Nobody Does It Like Marti
	The Val Doonican Show
1977	The Mike Reid Show	Himself	One episode<ref name=":3" />
	Eurovision Song Contest 1977		Commentator<ref name=":3" />
	Pop at the Mill	Himself / host	Six episodes<ref name=":3" />
1979	Pebble Mill at One		One episode<ref name=":3" />
1979—1985	Blankety Blank	Himself	Six episodes<ref name=":3" />
1980	Night of One Hundred Stars	Himself	Television movie<ref name=":3" />
1980—1982	Give Us a Clue		Three episodes<ref name=":3" />
1981	It's a Knockout		One episode<ref name=":3" />
	Family Fortunes
1981—1983	Punchlines		Five episodes<ref name=":3" />
1982	Pete Murray Takes You to Nottingham	Himself / narrator<ref name=":3" />
	Tuesday's Documentary	Himself	One episode<ref name=":3" />
	The Royal Variety Performance 1982		Television special<ref name=":3" />
1983	The Time of Your Life		One episode<ref name=":3" />
	Pete Murray Takes You to Coventry	Himself / narrator<ref name=":3" />
	Pete Murray Takes You to Hastings
1984—1992	Fotry Minutes	Himself	Two episodes<ref name=":3" />
1985	Vintage Quiz	Himself	Three episodes<ref name=":3" />
1986	Chasing Rainbows - A Nation and Its Music		One episode<ref name=":3" />
1987	Wogan
1988	A Question of Entertainment
1989	Alexei Sayle's Stuff	Himself	One episode<ref name=":3" />
	Scene		One episode, uncredited<ref name=":3" />
1989—1999	Arena		Three episodes<ref name=":3" />
1990	Dors: The Other Diana		Television movie<ref name=":3" />
1991	The Happening
	The Cook Report		One episode<ref name=":3" />
1995	Countdown	Himself / dictionary corner	Four episodes<ref name=":3" />
2002	Jukebox Heroes	Himself<ref name=":3" />
2004	Rove Live
2005	Favouritism		One episode<ref name=":3" />
2006	The Story of Light Entertainment		Two episodes<ref name=":3" />
2007	Children's Trial on TV		One episode<ref name=":3" />
2009	Weakest Link
2015	The David Hamilton Show		One episode<ref name=":3" />
2020	The One Show
2025	BBC News at Ten

Discography

Singles

Year	Label	A-side	B-side
1960	Decca Records	"What's It All About Eh?"<ref name=":6">Template:Cite web</ref>	"Gee Ma I Wanna Go Home"
1978	Columbia Records	"Forever Young"<ref name=":6" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	"I'll Be Alright"

Publications

• (With Jeremy Hornsby) One Day I'll Forget My Trousers (autobiography), London, 1975. Template:ISBN<ref name=":11" /><ref name=":12" /><ref name=":10" />

See also

• List of centenarians (actors, filmmakers and entertainers)

External links

• Template:IMDb name
• Radio Rewind profile