The date of September 5 marks the death of broadcaster Rachael Bland, two years ago at the age 40. For many listeners to BBC radio she is associated with the podcast 'You, me and the big C', in which Rachael, Deborah James and Lauren Mahon discussed the effect of cancer diagnoses on their lives. These sessions tackled a deadly subject with spirit, humour and a frankness that made them a watershed in talk radio. Rachael's dispassionate last message to followers acknowledged that her time was up. She died two days later leaving behind a husband and a young son.
The 'Big C' broadcasts were a breakthrough all right, but followers of Rachael's career will know that she broke the mould on radio not once but twice. For most of her early radio years she was a newsreader on BBC Radio 5 Live. In those days the readers would materialise at half-hour intervals and deliver prepared script in clear, measured tones before departing without fuss, leaving the limelight to presenters. Regular listeners would hear their voices without necessarily identifying them. Except that... For the period 2007 to 2013, 5 Live's late evening show (10.30pm-1am) was presented by two speculative characters – first Richard Bacon, then Tony Livesey – who instead of chaperoning listeners gently towards slumber made a point of keeping them awake. At the same time the pair allowed newsreaders to step from the shade into the light. They were encouraged to improvise. They conversed with the presenter, speaking their own words. They sifted incoming texts and emails and read them out extempore. They undertook unusual tasks designed by their devilish presenters, like giving a weather forecast from the roof or planting something in the Blue Peter garden. They became on-air personalities whom listeners could recognise, and did their careers no harm in the process – and the programmes benefited from the change of role.
Amongst the handful of newsreaders who emerged in this way was the as yet unmarried Rachael Hodges, sometimes known by Bacon's nickname for her of 'The Hodge'. She sounded different from many women on radio. Not for Hodges the quicksilver laughter of an Aasmah Mir; for her, amusement triggered a machine-gun cackle. Her intonation resembled that of an old-style landlady telling a guest to take his shoes off the bedspread. Such individual qualities, added to her intelligence, hard work and professionalism, established her personality to charming effect.
All good things must come to an end. In May 2013 Phil Williams replaced Livesey and the team approach fell by the wayside. The programme lost its zest and one wondered why a producer did not intervene. But thanks to Bacon, Livesey and Rachael Hodges (plus other readers like Kate Williams and Faye Ruscoe) a precedent had been set that gave newsreaders the scope to reveal their talents. May their example be followed again one day soon.
'The Hodge' left the late evening slot in October 2011, the manner of it befitting her time there. A surprise goodbye party was arranged by Livesey. 'You know we had a row yesterday because you didn't want to make the tea,' Livesey reminded her. Hodges muttered something about 'sending a minion'. At once, two beefy young men entered the studio clad in bow ties and the briefest of briefs, carrying trays of tea and cake. 'Perhaps Rachael could describe what's going on,' Livesey suggested. Hodges gave vent to one more on-air cackle. 'Two semi-naked men have just walked in,' she explained. 'Um...very fine-looking semi-naked men. Are they staying for the night?' 'Do you want them to?' asked Livesey. Let us draw a veil.
The 'Big C' broadcasts were a breakthrough all right, but followers of Rachael's career will know that she broke the mould on radio not once but twice. For most of her early radio years she was a newsreader on BBC Radio 5 Live. In those days the readers would materialise at half-hour intervals and deliver prepared script in clear, measured tones before departing without fuss, leaving the limelight to presenters. Regular listeners would hear their voices without necessarily identifying them. Except that... For the period 2007 to 2013, 5 Live's late evening show (10.30pm-1am) was presented by two speculative characters – first Richard Bacon, then Tony Livesey – who instead of chaperoning listeners gently towards slumber made a point of keeping them awake. At the same time the pair allowed newsreaders to step from the shade into the light. They were encouraged to improvise. They conversed with the presenter, speaking their own words. They sifted incoming texts and emails and read them out extempore. They undertook unusual tasks designed by their devilish presenters, like giving a weather forecast from the roof or planting something in the Blue Peter garden. They became on-air personalities whom listeners could recognise, and did their careers no harm in the process – and the programmes benefited from the change of role.
Amongst the handful of newsreaders who emerged in this way was the as yet unmarried Rachael Hodges, sometimes known by Bacon's nickname for her of 'The Hodge'. She sounded different from many women on radio. Not for Hodges the quicksilver laughter of an Aasmah Mir; for her, amusement triggered a machine-gun cackle. Her intonation resembled that of an old-style landlady telling a guest to take his shoes off the bedspread. Such individual qualities, added to her intelligence, hard work and professionalism, established her personality to charming effect.
All good things must come to an end. In May 2013 Phil Williams replaced Livesey and the team approach fell by the wayside. The programme lost its zest and one wondered why a producer did not intervene. But thanks to Bacon, Livesey and Rachael Hodges (plus other readers like Kate Williams and Faye Ruscoe) a precedent had been set that gave newsreaders the scope to reveal their talents. May their example be followed again one day soon.
'The Hodge' left the late evening slot in October 2011, the manner of it befitting her time there. A surprise goodbye party was arranged by Livesey. 'You know we had a row yesterday because you didn't want to make the tea,' Livesey reminded her. Hodges muttered something about 'sending a minion'. At once, two beefy young men entered the studio clad in bow ties and the briefest of briefs, carrying trays of tea and cake. 'Perhaps Rachael could describe what's going on,' Livesey suggested. Hodges gave vent to one more on-air cackle. 'Two semi-naked men have just walked in,' she explained. 'Um...very fine-looking semi-naked men. Are they staying for the night?' 'Do you want them to?' asked Livesey. Let us draw a veil.
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