One of the great innovators. Kenny Everett (real name Maurice James Cole) helped to establish the double-DJ show with Dave Cash on pirate station Radio London (‘Big L’). There, Everett developed the production techniques and tape tomfoolery that he used throughout his career.
The timid Liverpudlian became electrifying behind the microphone and was envied for his genius as a tape editor, and for his assortment of voices and characters.
Everett also proved vital in establishing Big L’s friendly relationship with The Beatles, travelling with them on their 1966 US tour.
Renowned for his risque remarks and unpredictable behaviour, Everett found himself suddenly out of a job in 1970, after moving to the BBC.
There was considerable fudging over the reasons for his on-air dismissal from Radio One. The BBC maintained that it was not Everett’s on-air remarks about the transport minister’s wife (he claimed Mrs Mary Peyton had passed her driving test only because she had crammed a fiver into her examiner’s hand), but the fact that he had broken his promise not to “speak to the press on controversial broadcasting matters” which got him the boot.
The timid Liverpudlian became electrifying behind the microphone and was envied for his genius as a tape editor, and for his assortment of voices and characters.
The sacking did Kenny no harm.
