Jimmy Young (disc jockey)

He was born in Cinderford[?], Gloucestershire. He joined the RAF in 1942 (lying about his age) and left 1949.

Jimmy Young achieved success as a singer in the 1950s with a number of hits including Unchained Melody[?] and The Man From Laramie; but he is best known as a BBC radio presenter. He joined the BBC as one of the first disc jockeys on BBC Radio 1 in 1967. In 1973 he joined BBC Radio 2 where he presented a regular programme (known to listeners as "the JY Prog") until his retirement from broadcasting in 2002. His radio slot has now been taken over by the former Newsnight[?] presenter, Jeremy Vine[?].

Shortly after leaving the BBC, Jimmy Young wrote a newspaper column attacking his former employer for instances of "brutality", and saying that it had not been his idea to leave.

He was knighted in 2001.

External links

• "Sir Jimmy's radio days (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/1763840.stm)" - a BBC News profile dated Friday, 20 December, 2002
• "Sir Jimmy vents anger in column (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/2628833.stm)" - a BBC News article dated Sunday, 5 January, 2003