William George Butler (born 24 January 1942[3]) is a British radio presenter on Liverpool Live Radio[4] and formerly BBC Radio Merseyside and Radio City. In the course of his career, he has presented TV shows such as FAX and the magazine programme What the Butler Sees.[5][6] In September 2010 he published his autobiography Billy Butler MBE – Mrs Butler’s Eldest.[7]
Billy Butler | |
|---|---|
 Butler at an event in Liverpool in 2018 | |
| Born | William George Butler 24 January 1942 |
| Occupation | Radio presenter |
| Years active | 1960s to present |
| Employers |
|
Butler was born in Amlwch, Anglesey in Wales. In the 1960s, he was a DJ at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. He appeared in Scousers in St Helens on 26 October 2010 alongside Tina Malone, Margi Clarke and many others.[8] From 1988 to 1990 he presented a seasonal late Friday night show on BBC Radio 2 in the early months of the year.[9]
During the summer of 1979 he was the co-host of Saturday morning children's TV show The Mersey Pirate, based on the ferry MV Royal Iris.[10] In 1987, Butler appeared in the first two series of ChuckleVision in a segment called "Armchair Theatre", where he would tell a story to the viewers.
In 2018, Butler's contract with BBC Radio Merseyside was not renewed. He now presents a Saturday and Sunday radio programme on Liverpool Live Radio.[11]
Radio City
editAfter several years at Radio City, Billy left when he played Cliff Richard's Can't Keep This Feeling In twice during a breakfast show on sister station Magic 1548 and saying this was what the listeners asked for, but the station playlist would not allow him to play it, so he walked out while live on air.[12]
Hold Your Plums
editThis section of a biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (October 2018) |
Hold Your Plums was a radio quiz show which ran for over a decade on BBC Radio Merseyside. It was hosted by Billy Butler and the late Wally Scott.[13]
Hold Your Plums started out as a segment of Billy Butler’s radio show and was extended to a two-hour show of its own. It was broadcast live from the BBC Radio Merseyside Studio’s on Paradise Street, Liverpool on Sundays from 11 am to 1 pm, using Root Beer Rag composed by Billy Joel as its regular catchy theme tune. Mostly an audience was present in the studio as the show went out.
Wally Scott passed away after a long illness in May 2024.
References
edit- ^ "Billy Butler reunites with Wally Scott to reprise Hold Your Plums". 5 August 2020.
- ^ "Billy Butler celebrates 50 years on the radio". 2 October 2021.
- ^ Billy Butler at IMDb
- ^ "Billy Butler".
- ^ liverpoolecho Administrator (13 February 2010). "Radio DJ Billy Butler celebrates 40 years of showbusiness with appearance on Inside Out". liverpoolecho.
- ^ "BBC - Liverpool & Merseyside - Profile: Billy Butler". bbc.co.uk. 11 September 2009.
- ^ liverpoolecho Administrator (15 September 2010). "Billy Butler's new book on life, radio and his years in showbiz". liverpoolecho.
- ^ "Gags galore as comedy fest tickles town". sthelensstar.co.uk.
- ^ BBC Genome website - Radio Times listings
- ^ Nostalgia Central (6 June 2020). "Mersey Pirate". Nostalgia Central. Archived from the original on 3 September 2020.
- ^ Article in "Liverpool Echo" Billy now presents on Liverpool Live Radio on a Saturday and Sunday.
- ^ "Loyal DJ in cliff-hanger". Birmingham Mail. 26 October 1998. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- ^ "BBC Liverpool website". Retrieved 1 May 2007.