The First Broadcasts
Don first broadcast to the nation in 1955 at the age of sixteen as co-host of The Younger Generation on the BBC Light Programme, having answered an ad in the Radio Times. He contributed to the network for several years before being called up for national service. On his return in 1962, he married his long time sweetheart Yvonne whom he had known for eight years.
In 1966 he signed up with the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) where his encyclopaedic knowledge of sport kept him in demand as a broadcast anchor and commentator for international boxing and football matches. It also took him across the globe including to Aden (now Yemen) in 1966/67, to Koln in Germany (1968–69 and again for part of ’72) and then to Gibraltar for three years.
In 1972, Don was assigned as a BFBS reporter for the Munich Olympics, where he secured a worldwide scoop - an exclusive interview with the swimmer Mark Spitz, who'd won an - unprecedented at the time - seven gold medals at the Games.
Don was also press officer and matchday announcer for Fulham Football Club in the mid 1970s when George Best and Bobby Moore were in the team.
Read more about this topic: Don Durbridge
Famous quotes containing the words the first and/or broadcasts:
“Two principles, according to the Settembrinian cosmogony, were in perpetual conflict for possession of the world: force and justice, tyranny and freedom, superstition and knowledge; the law of permanence and the law of change, of ceaseless fermentation issuing in progress. One might call the first the Asiatic, the second the European principle.”
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955)
“We spend all day broadcasting on the radio and TV telling people back home what’s happening here. And we learn what’s happening here by spending all day monitoring the radio and TV broadcasts from back home.”
—P.J. (Patrick Jake)