Broadcasting legend Tony Currie has hung up his microphone after 34 years as one of the most famous voices on television.
Tony, 68, was BBC Scotland’s continuity announcer until he had a major health scare last February. He recovered but decided against returning to the airwaves as he is also a carer for his wife Karin.
At his retirement party on Friday night, Tony said: “At the point when I left, I was the longest surviving TV announcer in Britain.”
Among former colleagues who praised his work were Radio 2 DJs Ken Bruce and Steve Wright.
Tony helped both men when they were starting out in broadcasting and they contributed to a video compilation of tributes.
He was also presented with a mocked-up front page of the Radio Times but joked: “I was not very pleased with the photo they used of me.”
Tony started as a TV announcer in 1976 and returned to it in the mid-90s after a gap working in management.
Last February he told The Sunday Post how his wife Karin saved his life after he collapsed in the bath at home. He suffered three cardiac arrests after being taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. His final TV appearance was a few months ago when he popped into the BBC offices and made a one-off announcement for the start of Bargain Hunt while he was there.
The broadcaster had hoped to return to work but could not manage it as well as looking after Karin, who has Parkinson’s disease, so decided it was time to retire. He will continue working as director of programmes at radio six international, a station which plays music from unsigned and indie artists.
Enjoy the convenience of having The Sunday Post delivered as a digital ePaper straight to your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Subscribe for only £5.49 a month and enjoy all the benefits of the printed paper as a digital replica.
Subscribe