Legendary former BBC and pirate radio broadcaster Tom Edwards has passed away.
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Edwards, 80, died Oct. 25 in a Lincoln, England, hospice after a long battle with cancer, according to Radio Today.
Edwards worked on pirate stations Radio City and Radio Caroline in the 1960s before joining BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2. He also served as an announcer for TV stations such as Thames Television, ATV, and HTV West.
So sorry to hear my friend from the pirate Radio days Tom Edwards has died at the age of 80. He was a lovely guy.R.I.P. Tom pic.twitter.com/24nBQeIRZK
— Tony Blackburn OBE. (@tonyblackburn) October 27, 2025
Born in Norwich, Edwards started his career as a journalist for the Eastern Evening News. He later successfully auditioned to be a presenter on Border Television’s music program, Beat in the Border, before becoming a Pontins Bluecoat.
Between 1965 and 1967, he worked for the offshore pirate radio station Radio City, becoming its chief disc jockey.
Tom Edwards Earns the Nickname “Tatty Tom”
He joined Radio Caroline South in early 1967, remaining until the Marine Offences Act took effect that August. He was affectionately nicknamed ‘Tatty Tom’ due to his consistently smart attire.
In late 1967, Edwards joined the BBC as a TV newsreader and presenter on BBC Look East. In 1968, he began working for BBC Radio 1, initially taking over for Simon Dee on Midday Spin. He later became a staff announcer and newsreader for both Radio 1 and Radio 2, and hosted several shows on Radio 2 during the 1970s.
Very sad to hear that another Thames continuity announcer has passed away.
— TVARK (@tvark) October 26, 2025
Tom Edwards worked on pirate radio and BBC Radio, voiced over game shows, and announced for ITV regions ATV, HTV West and, most notably, Thames.
He was 80.
Tom Edwards
1945-2025https://t.co/JlyJB9RM7W pic.twitter.com/amjE7LFjwd
Edwards returned to Norwich in 1990. He had freelanced in TV during the 1980s and later worked at BBC Radio Norfolk.
In 2018, Kaleidoscope published his autobiography, Is Anybody There?. The title is a reference to his signature radio show opening, where he would knock on the microphone three times and ask, “Is anybody there?”
The book details his diverse career as a DJ on pirate and commercial radio, a TV broadcaster for the BBC and other companies, and a period in Hollywood. It also covers Edwards’ successful recovery from alcohol and drug addiction after three years in a Lincolnshire rehabilitation center.
“My book is a turbulent read, but I hope you enjoy it and you can join me on a journey that took me here, there, and just about everywhere,” he told On the Radio at the time.