February 19th 2024.
Alex Hall dedicated 35 years of her life to working as a BBC local radio presenter. She recently took to social media, specifically X, to express how much she misses being on the air after the end of her long tenure on Radio Tees. At the age of 74, Hall first joined Radio Tees in 2006 and covered various time slots before becoming the beloved host of Songs from the Shows in 2009. She continued in this role until her departure from the network in January of this year.
Aside from her successful career in radio, Hall is also known for her acting skills, particularly for her role as Jean Strickland, the head teacher of Hotten Comprehensive, on Emmerdale from 1999 to 2001. Fans were devastated when Hall shared her retirement from Radio Tees on X on February 18, stating that it had been six weeks since she last presented a show. She reflected on her time in the industry, expressing how lucky she was to have worked in her beloved field until the age of 74. She also shared that she misses it beyond words and feels like a part of her is now gone forever. Though she is still a mother and grandmother, her role on the radio was a significant part of her life.
Hall is not the only beloved radio presenter to have left the network in recent months. The BBC's decision to cut budget has resulted in more than 45 presenters being let go, causing an uproar among fans. Hall's emotional post on X has led to many expressing their disappointment in the BBC for ending her time as a host. One user, @cafe_avalon, replied to her post, saying, "The suits took the sound of our towns away - my radio is just a ghost now. There's nothing left to listen to." Another user, @cumberlandcrack, shared his frustration, stating, "The BBC changes to local radio was absolutely corporate vandalism, great shows and presenters binned off for what? What followed is mediocre and irrelevant. Don't let their poor judgement define your future."
Hall's retirement from Radio Tees in January was met with a similar response from fans. Many expressed how much they miss hearing her show, with one user, @radlofanatic, simply writing, "You are so very missed Alex. x" Another user, @leonfleming, shared how important Hall was to his formative years, stating, "I used to listen to you every night on Pulse when I was 15-16; your voice was in my ears through the difficult times of my GCSEs and my working out who I was x."
The BBC's decision to move resources from local radio to digital output and investigative teams has caused controversy within the industry. The broadcasting company has been forced to make these cuts due to the government freezing its licence fee for two years and the Conservative Party's plans to abolish it completely in the future. This decision has disproportionately affected local radio, leading to a decline in its essential localness and connection to communities.
As the BBC continues to make budget cuts and remove beloved hosts like Hall from the air, listeners all over the country have taken to social media to express their displeasure. Even industry professionals have joined the conversation. Former BBC English Regions controller Andy Griffee commented on the cuts, stating, "It's all gradually destroying the essential point of BBC local radio, which is its localness and the attachment people have to particular communities."
There has been no official statement from the BBC regarding the circumstances surrounding Hall's retirement. The Agency has reached out to the BBC for clarification but has not yet received a response.
It's clear that local radio has been a beloved institution in British culture, cherished by the average citizen but undervalued by the elite. It has consistently proven to be an essential part of local communities and a source of important journalism, as seen in BBC Radio Leeds breakfast host Rima Ahmed's famous interview with Liz Truss in 2022.
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In other news, actor Andrew Scott recently faced some inappropriate questions from a BBC Baftas reporter, causing him to squirm in discomfort. In addition, it has been reported that Steve Wright underwent secret heart surgery after being "dumped" from a BBC show.
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