Steve Penk
 | This poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous. )Find sources: "Steve Penk" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2021) |
Steve Penk is a British
In 1997, Penk moved on to work at Capital Radio London, presenting the mid-morning show. On his programme he regularly did his famous radio wind-ups. It was during one of these wind-up calls that Penk had the idea to call the then British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. Penk was able to get through the No. 10 switchboard and managed to get Blair on the air for a few minutes. Blair later mentioned during Prime Minister's Questions that Penk had prank-called him that morning, and at that point it became a global media story.
In 2001, Penk moved to Virgin Radio, where he replaced Chris Evans on the breakfast show[2] and increased the audience by 300,000 listeners in the first three months. Penk then returned to Capital FM in 2002 to present a networked late show.[3][4]
After a year presenting the late show on
He also presented a number of primetime TV Shows for ITV, such as TV Nightmares, The Way They Were and When Athletes Attack. Penk made guest appearances on Blankety Blank and a few series of TV's Naughtiest Blunders on ITV1.
On Thursday 4 September 2008, it was announced that Penk had bought the entire share capital in the radio station 96.2 the Revolution. Almost immediately after the purchase, Penk made major changes both to the schedule and to the playlist. The changes led to outrage from some listeners to the station and departure of some of the station's DJs. However, after changing the station's format Penk managed to quadruple the audience.[5][6][7]
In January 2014, he sold 96.2 the Revolution. In 2015, Penk launched the Steve Penk Wind-Up Channel on DAB+ in Manchester, featuring wind-up/prank calls 24/7.
In 2016, Penk created and launched Radio Dead, a globally unique radio station that only plays artistes who are deceased. Penk closed Radio Dead, along with another internet based station that he owned, at the end of November 2019.
In 2019, he started a podcast of his BBC Radio 4 Extra series Radio Nightmares, featuring mistakes and bloopers from all types of radio broadcasting across the world.
He stood in on the 10pm Saturday night show on Greatest Hits Radio in June 2021.
Television appearances
- TV Nightmares
- Would I Lie To You?
- Russian Roulette
- Blankety Blank
- The Way They Were: Coronation Street Special
- TV's Naughtiest Blunders
- This Morning
References
- ^ "Penk is voice of Virgin". Manchester Evening News. Reach plc. 22 January 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ "Penk replaces Evans at Virgin Radio". BBC News. 2 July 2001. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
- Challenge.
- ^ Lily Savage's Blankety Blank. 25 February 2001. ITV.
- ^ Steve Penk buys The Revolution - Digital Spy - 04/09/08.
- Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
- Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 30 January 2010.