Alan Freeman

Alan Freeman was a British radio and television presenter, best known for his work on the BBC Radio 1 chart show, Pick of the Pops. Born in Melbourne, Australia on 6th July 1927. Freeman moved to the UK in 1957, and soon found work as a disc jockey on Radio Luxembourg.

In 1960, Freeman joined the BBC, where he worked on a number of radio and television programmes. He became well-known for his distinctive, enthusiastic presenting style, and his catchphrase "Greetings, pop pickers!". He also popularised the use of "stings" – short pieces of music played between tracks – on radio shows.

In 1961, Freeman became the host of Pick of the Pops, a new BBC Radio 1 programme that charted the top 20 singles of the week. The show became hugely popular, and Freeman's unique presenting style helped to make it a staple of the British music scene for many years. Freeman stepped down from presenting Pick of the Pops in 2000.

In addition to his work on Pick of the Pops, Freeman presented a number of other radio and television shows, including the BBC's coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest. He was one of the original presenters of Top of the Pops. Presenting the first edition on 1st January 1964.

Despite his success, Freeman was known for his modesty and his down-to-earth attitude. He continued to work in radio and television until his retirement in 2002, and was awarded the OBE in 1998 for his services to broadcasting. Alan Freeman passed away on 27 November 2006, aged 79.