Biography

April 23, 1955 · Hornchurch, Essex, England, UK

August 1, 2014 · London, England, UK (complications following major heart surgery)

Michael George Smith

He and Sarah Greene were seriously injured on 10 September 1988 when the helicopter that Mike was piloting crashed in Gloucestershire. Mike broke his back and an ankle, whilst Sarah broke both legs and an arm. Both made full recoveries. They became engaged soon after the accident and were married the following year. Mike was cleared of blame after an investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Mike and Sarah Greene met during the first London Marathon in 1981. Sarah was working for Blue Peter (1958) and Mike was a Radio broadcaster.

Mike Smith decided not to sign the license extension that would allow the BBC to repeat the Top of the Pops (1964) episodes that he presented. Since his passing, the BBC is continuing to respect his wishes.

Mike is an accomplished racing driver. He has competed in not only car racing, but truck racing. His team, Trakstar, won the British Touring Car Championship in 1990 with team-mate Robb Gravett, driving a Ford Sierra Cosworth.

Owner of FTV and G-PIXX - Flying TV.

Part of problem with the Jimmy Savile thing is that nobody would stand up and name him so he got away with it for so long... allegedly.

I knew Liz [Liz Kershaw] - in fact I worked with her before she joined the station, making a BT chart rundown telephone service every week. And I was also around when she joined the station. I don't know which of the schoolboys stuck his hands where they shouldn't be. And, frankly, I don't know why Liz can't name him. But if this "trick" happened, it was a specific case. In her R4 Today interview she goes on to imply that it was a more general practice. It wasn't. I simply don't recognise the culture she describes. R1 was staffed by (mainly) fun people from both sexes (if that matters) and what went on was no different to any other institution or workplace.

I miss radio tremendously, TV not so much. Radio has a contact with the audience in a very special way.