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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Stevenage shed radio DJ ready for BBC local radio slot | Stevenage shed radio DJ ready for BBC local radio slot |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| A DJ whose shed-based radio station was only ever heard by his wife is preparing to expand his audience after 44 years. | A DJ whose shed-based radio station was only ever heard by his wife is preparing to expand his audience after 44 years. |
| Deke Duncan, 73, started playing records from his back garden in Stevenage, Hertfordshire in 1974. | Deke Duncan, 73, started playing records from his back garden in Stevenage, Hertfordshire in 1974. |
| He was the subject of a BBC Nationwide television report, recently tweeted by BBC Archive, prompting BBC Three Counties Radio to track him down. | He was the subject of a BBC Nationwide television report, recently tweeted by BBC Archive, prompting BBC Three Counties Radio to track him down. |
| He was then offered a one-hour special, which goes out on New Year's Eve. | He was then offered a one-hour special, which goes out on New Year's Eve. |
| 'Real cool' | 'Real cool' |
| Listeners to the pre-recorded show, which will be broadcast at 18:00 GMT on Three Counties Radio, can expect some "old school radio", Mr Duncan said. | Listeners to the pre-recorded show, which will be broadcast at 18:00 GMT on Three Counties Radio, can expect some "old school radio", Mr Duncan said. |
| "Radio like it was 30 or 40 years ago with a happy disc jockey, bouncing along from one record to another and just being real cool. It's going to be rock and roll," he said. | "Radio like it was 30 or 40 years ago with a happy disc jockey, bouncing along from one record to another and just being real cool. It's going to be rock and roll," he said. |
| Mr Duncan said his interest in radio was sparked by pirate station Radio Caroline, which broadcast from a ship off the coast of Essex in the 1960s. | Mr Duncan said his interest in radio was sparked by pirate station Radio Caroline, which broadcast from a ship off the coast of Essex in the 1960s. |
| He set up Radio 77 - named after a job-lot of second hand jingles bought from a US station of the same name. | He set up Radio 77 - named after a job-lot of second hand jingles bought from a US station of the same name. |
| But with no licence, the station could only be beamed through a speaker in his living room to wife Teresa. | But with no licence, the station could only be beamed through a speaker in his living room to wife Teresa. |
| He presented non-stop weekend slots on the station with friends Richard St John and Clive Christie and made regular references on air to the fact he was broadcasting from - and to - 57 Gonville Crescent. | He presented non-stop weekend slots on the station with friends Richard St John and Clive Christie and made regular references on air to the fact he was broadcasting from - and to - 57 Gonville Crescent. |
| He was tracked down to Stockport, Greater Manchester, where he still broadcasts Radio 77 to just his wife, and was invited to co-present a show on BBC Three Counties Radio. | He was tracked down to Stockport, Greater Manchester, where he still broadcasts Radio 77 to just his wife, and was invited to co-present a show on BBC Three Counties Radio. |
| In 1974 he had said his "ultimate ambition" was to broadcast to the rest of Stevenage and the forthcoming show will not only be broadcast to Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire on radio, but will also be available via this link. | |
| His story has been in many newspapers and television including BBC Breakfast and ITV's This Morning. | His story has been in many newspapers and television including BBC Breakfast and ITV's This Morning. |
| Mr Duncan described the media furore surrounding his re-discovery as a "whirlwind" but he was "loving it". | Mr Duncan described the media furore surrounding his re-discovery as a "whirlwind" but he was "loving it". |
| "It has been a blast... I am as happy as Larry," he said. | "It has been a blast... I am as happy as Larry," he said. |