7. The James Whale Radio Show
James Whale is a radio personality who is known for his blunt and acerbic, and frequently confrontational manner. He was given his own late night television programme by ITV back in 1989. There were interviews and phone ins - the whole thing was live which increased the potential for mess ups. With the call ins, Whale would get very impatient with people who rambled or disagreed with him and he would slam down the phone frequently. That ever so delightful MP Jerry Hayes featured prominently in the show. The programme kept getting pushed further and further into the late night schedule until it was swallowed up by a black hole. Again another case of satisfying post pub fare, there was always something going on in the show. Because it was live - it could go either way - the guests were either stupid and crap or brilliantly eloquent. The music was either fantastic or dire. And it was funny watching Whales gnaw like a terrier on anyone or anything he disliked. I'm pretty right wing so his political views never incensed me as much as left wingers. An interesting experiment and a Late Night classic.
Clare Simpson
Contributor
My first film watched was Carrie aged 2 on my dad's knee. Educated at The University of St Andrews and Trinity College Dublin. Fan of Arthouse, Exploitation, Horror, Euro Trash, Giallo, New French Extremism. Weaned at the bosom of a Russ Meyer starlet. The bleaker, artier or sleazier the better!
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Clare