Tony Blackburn: Verified Career Facts and Common Questions
Tony Blackburn’s broadcasting record is documented in detail, while his personal life is not. According to the BBC Media Centre, he first broadcast on Radio Caroline on 25 July 1964, and this guide keeps that verified career apart from personal-life questions that no supplied source answers.
Broadcast slot: Saturday 06:00 on BBC Radio 2 · Episode length: 1 hour, 57 minutes (BBC programme page) · First broadcast: · Current BBC show: Sounds of the 60s, BBC Radio 2 · Next listed episode:
Quick snapshot
- He presents Sounds of the 60s, described as spinning the biggest sixties hits (BBC Radio 2 show page)
- He first broadcast on Radio Caroline on 25 July 1964 (BBC Media Centre) (BBC Radio 2 show page)
- Marriage, residence, net worth, pay, deafness and hearing aid use have no supplied source (BBC programme episode guide)
- A 2020 edition aired on (BBC Media Centre)
- The 2015 edition was presented by Brian Matthew, not Tony Blackburn (BBC programme page)
- The episode page lists Saturday 7 November 2026 at 06:00 as Next on (BBC programme episode guide)
- Listings conflict across snapshots, so check BBC Sounds before planning (BBC programme episode guide)
The implication: the broadcasting facts rest on BBC pages, and the unanswered personal questions stay in card 2.
Six dated records, one pattern: the broadcasting facts all come from BBC pages, and personal-life fields are absent from this table entirely.
| Record | Verified value |
|---|---|
| First broadcast | , Radio Caroline (BBC Media Centre) |
| Current show | Sounds of the 60s, BBC Radio 2 (BBC Radio 2 show page) |
| Broadcast slot | Saturday 06:00 (BBC programme page) |
| Episode length | 1 hour, 57 minutes (BBC programme page) |
| 2015 edition presenter | Brian Matthew, 28/11/2015 (BBC programme page) |
| 80th birthday marked | 2023, according to the BBC Media Centre |
The implication: every row in this table traces to a BBC page, so the table is only as strong as the BBC’s own listings.
Is Tony Blackburn still married?
No supplied source states his current marital status, so this guide cannot confirm that he is married, separated or divorced.
Who did Tony Blackburn’s wife leave him for?
- No supplied source confirms that Tony Blackburn had a wife or that a wife left him (BBC programme episode guide).
- No partner is named in any supplied source, so no name is offered here.
Why did Tessa Wyatt and Tony Blackburn split?
- The name Tessa Wyatt does not appear in any of the supplied sources.
- No reason for a split is documented, and this guide will not supply one.
The implication: a split with a stated cause needs a primary statement from the people involved, and none of the supplied material provides one.
Where does Tony Blackburn live?
No supplied source gives a home address or place of residence. What the sources do document is his work.
Where is Tony Blackburn today?
- He presents Sounds of the 60s on BBC Radio 2 (BBC Radio 2 show page).
- The next listed episode is Saturday 7 November 2026 at 06:00 (BBC programme episode guide).
The pattern: the record shows where he works, not where he lives, and the two should never be treated as the same fact.
How much is Tony Blackburn worth?
Net worth is the question with the least evidence behind it. The supplied BBC pages describe programmes, not finances (BBC programme episode guide).
How much does Tony Blackburn get paid?
- No supplied source gives a net worth figure.
- No supplied source gives a salary or fee.
- The BBC pages list broadcast times and episode lengths, not pay.
A net worth number with no named source is an estimate presented as a fact, and this guide has no figure it can stand behind. Ignore any number that does not name where it came from.
The implication: readers searching for his wealth should treat every figure online as unverified until a named, checkable source backs it.
Does Tony Blackburn wear a hearing aid?
The supplied sources say nothing about his health or appearance. That silence is the finding, not a gap to fill.
Is Tony Blackburn deaf?
- No supplied source states whether he is deaf.
- No hearing-related disclosure appears in the BBC pages reviewed (BBC programme episode guide).
Does Tony Blackburn wear a wig?
- No supplied source states whether he wears a wig.
- An appearance claim needs a primary statement, such as his own interview, before it can be published as fact.
Health and appearance rumours spread fastest where evidence is thinnest. A claim about hearing aids needs a statement from Tony Blackburn or a named medical or broadcasting source, and the supplied material contains neither.
The implication: any health claim without a primary source belongs in the unverified column, however often it is repeated.
How can I listen to old BBC radio programmes?
The BBC listings give a clear route to recent episodes. Access to archived programmes depends on BBC listening options that the supplied inputs do not detail.
- Open BBC Sounds and search for the show by name.
- Ask a smart speaker to play Sounds of the 60s with Tony Blackburn, an option BBC Sounds supports (BBC Radio 2 programme page).
- Check the Available now and Next on sections in the BBC episode guide before planning around a particular episode (BBC programme episode guide).
- For a specific older broadcast, open its page, such as Take Good Care Of My Tony, broadcast Saturday 19 February 2022 at 06:00 (BBC Radio 2 programme page).
Is Tony Blackburn still presenting Sounds of the Sixties?
- The show is presented by Tony Blackburn on BBC Radio 2, and episode titles often carry his name (BBC Radio 2 show page).
- Episode snapshots disagree, with 5 items in one Available now listing and 6 in another (BBC programme episode guide).
Recent episodes are easy to find, but the sources do not confirm how long any archived episode stays on BBC Sounds. Check the page before planning around it.
The trade-off: the 06:00 Saturday slot suits a dedicated listener, while on-demand copies serve everyone else, as long as the BBC keeps the page live.
The catch: how long archived episodes stay on BBC Sounds is the open question, not the Saturday slot.
Timeline
- : first broadcast on Radio Caroline (BBC Media Centre)
- : Brian Matthew presents the edition, not Tony Blackburn (BBC programme page)
- : episode from 6:00 to 8:00 AM presented by Tony Blackburn (BBC Media Centre)
- : Jennifer Juniper broadcast at 06:00 (BBC programme page)
- : Take Good Care Of My Tony broadcast at 06:00 (BBC programme page)
- : See Tony Play broadcast at 06:00 (BBC programme page)
- : 60-year anniversary celebrated across Radio 2 shows (BBC Media Centre)
- : Wishin’ and Hopin’ broadcast at 06:00 (BBC programme page)
- : Sorry Suzanne episode, two hours of music from The Beatles, Marvin Gaye and Dionne Warwick (BBC programme page)
- : listed as Next on at 06:00 (BBC programme episode guide)
The pattern: every episode dated with a weekday in the sources falls on a Saturday morning, which makes the slot the most dependable fact in the record.
Confirmed facts and what’s unclear
Confirmed facts
- Tony Blackburn presents Sounds of the 60s on BBC Radio 2 (BBC Radio 2 show page).
- He first broadcast on Radio Caroline on 25 July 1964 (BBC Media Centre).
- Episodes are listed at 1 hour, 57 minutes (BBC programme page).
- Episodes are broadcast on Saturdays at 06:00 (BBC programme page).
- BBC Radio 2 marked 60 years in radio in July 2024 (BBC Media Centre).
What’s unclear
- Current age, and date and place of birth: no supplied BBC page confirms them.
- OBE honour: no supplied source confirms it.
- Marital status, and any partner who ended a marriage.
- Reasons for any split involving Tessa Wyatt.
- Place of residence.
- Net worth, salary and fees.
- Hearing aid use, deafness or wig.
- Children, son and siblings: no supplied source names family members.
- Whether the show is announced to tour in 2027: no supplied source confirms this.
The catch: nine open questions against five confirmed facts means the record is thin on his private life, and every answer on this page should be read with that gap in mind.
What the broadcasters say
“Tony Blackburn spins the biggest sixties hits and shares fond memories of the decade.”
— BBC Radio 2 programme description
“This week radio legend Tony Blackburn celebrates 60 years in radio – he first broadcast on Radio Caroline on 25 July in 1964.”
— BBC Media Centre programme information
The pattern: both quotes come from BBC publicity, so they show how the broadcaster describes the show rather than offering independent judgment of it.
What the record means for listeners
The verified picture is narrow but solid: a BBC Radio 2 show, a Saturday morning slot, and a 1964 start that the BBC itself documents. The personal questions that drive most searches remain open, and the supplied material offers no way to close them. For listeners in the UK, the choice is clear: use BBC Sounds for the episodes listed today, or wait for the BBC to confirm the 2027 tour before planning around it.
Every citation here is a BBC page, because the supplied research contained no independent outlet. The source spread is narrower than a full review would require, and the personal-life answers stay unverified until a second publisher can confirm them.
The implication: until the BBC publishes a personal statement or a second publisher confirms it, the personal-life questions stay open.
Related reading: Peter Powell: Radio 1 Career · Nick Grimshaw: Career, Radio 1 Exit
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Frequently asked questions
Who is Tony Blackburn’s sister?
No supplied source names a sibling, so this guide cannot name one. Treat any name given online as unverified.
Who is Tony Blackburn’s son?
No supplied source mentions a son or any other child.
Does Tony Blackburn have children?
The supplied BBC pages do not say whether he has children, so the answer is that it is not confirmed.
How old is Tony Blackburn?
The supplied sources give no current age. The BBC Media Centre describes him as 21 in summer 1964 and says his 80th birthday was marked in 2023, but neither figure confirms his age today.
How tall is Tony Blackburn?
No supplied source gives his height.
The pattern: each personal-life question above gets the same answer, which is that no supplied source confirms it.
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