Iain Purdon is a retired broadcaster.

Biography

Iain Purdon was born in Edinburgh. After school education in the South of England he returned to Scotland and joined the city hospital radio service while at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

. He went on to work in various computer-related jobs while attempting to pursue a radio career. He joined BBC Scotland in May 1973 as a newsreader and continuity announcer for the Radio 4 Scotland opt-out service. From 1975-1978 he was also a regular TV announcer on

BBC One Scotland BBC One Scotland is a Scottish free-to-air television channel owned and operated by BBC Scotland and is a Scottish variation of the UK-wide BBC One. For all of the time the channel is referred to on screen as ''BBC One Scotland'', sometimes us ...

. He was appointed to lead the announcer team at the launch of

BBC Radio Scotland BBC Radio Scotland is a Scotland, Scottish radio station, radio network owned and operated by BBC Scotland, a division of the BBC. It broadcasts a wide variety of programmes. It replaced the Scottish BBC Radio 4 opt-out service of the same na ...

in 1978, also presenting music and magazine programmes. In 1982 he moved to BBC Radio 2 where he became editor of the presentation team until 1993. After a year in local radio journalism at BBC CWR, followed by a spell of freelancing with

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...

and BFBS UK, he moved in April 1995 to the BBC World Service delivering news bulletins and summaries to radio audiences around the world. Iain Purdon presented the last ever bulletin from

Bush House Bush House is a Grade II listed building at the southern end of Kingsway between Aldwych and the Strand in London. It was conceived as a major new trade centre by American industrialist Irving T. Bush, and commissioned, designed, funded, a ...

at 11.00 GMT on 12 July 2012 before moving immediately to complete his shift at Broadcasting House. He retired from the BBC staff in October 2013 but continued to work as an occasional relief newsreader on the World Service until May 2016. After 43 years of delivering BBC news he felt that was enough for anyone! He plays bass guitar, was in a vintage rock and roll band for 15 years and is still in another occasional group specialising in the repertoire of

The Shadows The Shadows (originally known as the Drifters) were an English instrumental rock group, who dominated the British popular music charts in the late 1950s and early 1960s, in the pre- Beatles era. They served as the backing band for Cliff Richard ...

. He has never been a member of any political party and describes himself as a floating voter. He is a Christian and an active member of his local parish church.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Purdon, Iain BBC newsreaders and journalists BBC World Service presenters Living people Year of birth missing (living people)