John Peel Biography

Born in 1939, John Peel discovered his love for broadcasting following a stint at WRR radio in Dallas, Texas. Having travelled the US for three years, he returned to the UK and joined Radio London.

John was part of the original line-up that launched BBC Radio 1, in 1967, and his late night ‘Top Gear’ programme proved an instant success. Thanks to John’s eclectic taste in music, he managed to champion many a new band, from punk and hip-hop through to indie and blues. His legendary ‘Peel Sessions’ launched many careers, including unknowns such as Marc Bolan and David Bowie. John's success hinged on his ever-evolving music taste and his ability to talent spot new sounds, from the likes of The Smiths, Joy Division and the Undertones.

He set his own rules at Radio 1, insisting on playing every track without interruption and offering a chatty and knowledgeable commentary to his listeners. Regularly topping ‘Best DJ polls’, he was awarded an OBE in 1998 and in 2002 he received the broadcasting industry's highest accolade, when he was awarded the Sony Gold, marking his outstanding 35 year contribution to radio.

Recently, he turned his sights to TV and presented a show for the BBC about his eclectic family life - ‘Home Truths’.

A lifelong fan of the Archers and a dedicated follower of Liverpool football club, John refused to let his recent diabetes diagnosis slow him down.

In October 2004, John suffered a heart attack, and died at the age of 65, while on a working holiday in Peru.