Devendra Kumar
Annie Nightingale, a pioneering radio DJ, has died at the age of 83, leaving behind a legacy of trailblazing for women in radio. She became the first female presenter on BBC Radio 1 in 1970 and went on to become its longest-serving host. Ball, who hosts BBC Radio 2’s breakfast show and previously helmed the show on Radio 1, paid tribute to Nightingale, describing her as “the original trailblazer for us women in radio”. She said Nightingale loved music like no other and could outlast any of her colleagues at parties, adding that she was grateful for the love and support she received from Nightingale over the years.
Annie Mac, who hosted a variety of Radio 1 shows before leaving in 2021 after 17 years, described Nightingale as a “trailblazer, spirited, adventurous, fearless, hilarious, smart, and so good at her job”. Mac said Nightingale smashed through the sexist stereotypes of what kind of broadcaster a woman should be and continued to play underground music on Radio 1 until she was an older woman. She added that Nightingale was always the epitome of “cool”, relentlessly curious and enthusiastic, with a messy desk, great outfits, and outrageous stories to tell.
Other female DJs and presenters, including Jo Whiley and Emily Eavis, also paid tribute to Nightingale, praising her for paving the way for women in music. Whiley called her “the coolest woman who ever graced the airwaves” and said she blazed a trail for them all, never compromising her passion for music. Eavis remembered Nightingale as “an inspiration to so many women in music” and a “lovely human being”, recalling how she supported her when she was in her twenties.
The BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show host Greg James said being in Nightingale’s presence was “such a treat” and that she will be missed “so much”. Fellow veteran presenter Trevor Nelson said Nightingale made him “feel like music broadcasting is for life”, adding “Rave in peace”.
Nightingale began her broadcasting career on the BBC in 1963 as a panellist on Juke Box Jury before joining Radio 1 seven years later. She remained the station’s only female DJ until 1982, when Janice Long joined, and is credited with helping to pave the way for the likes of Sara Cox, Whiley, and Ball. In 2021, the BBC Radio 1 launched a new scholarship for female and non-binary dance music DJs, which was named after Nightingale.
The head of BBC Radio 1, Aled Haydn Jones, said the station was “devastated” to lose Nightingale and sent the team’s condolences to her family and friends. Haydn Jones described Nightingale as a “world-class DJ, broadcaster, and journalist” who was a champion of new music and new artists.
As a DJ, Nightingale travelled the world, rubbing shoulders with music titans including the late David Bowie, who she befriended in the 1960s. She also documented her pioneering career and the evolution of five decades of pop culture in her 2020 memoir Hey Hi Hello. In 2019, she was made a CBE for services to radio, having previously been made an MBE in 2002.