A real treat… unlimited access to the BBC audio archive and the opportunity to write for presenter Alan Whicker. He was an absolute joy, totally professional, and so Alan Whicker. I only had to correct him once, when he insisted that Little Richard’s hit was ‘Tutty Frutty’. It was a well-received four-part series, produced by Anthony Cherry and Ken Phillips. My one regret is that I didn’t get the great Mr Whicker to do the do my answerphone message in his own inimitable style… “Awopaloobop”, pause, stroke of moustache, “Alopbamboom!”

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