Local BBC radio legend Tony Butler, who also hosted in the West Midlands for BRMB, has died aged 88.
The much-loved presenter – known for his ‘on yer bike!’ catchphrase – died peacefully yesterday (Friday 14 July), the BBC confirmed.
Born in Wolverhampton, Tony was on the airwaves for six decades before retiring in 2009. He won a Lifetime Achievement award at the Sony Radio Academy Awards in 2007.
Tony Butler RIP
The charismatic star worked at one of the UK’s first commercial stations, Birmingham’s BRMB, in the 1970s. Tony was credited for innovating the football phone-in while at the station.
He later hosted for many years at BBC Radio WM, including the weekday breakfast show, as well as broadcasting about sport.
Tony started his career as a journalist at the Birmingham Post and Mail, and also appeared on local TV such as the Birmingham Live channel.
Tony Butler – as immortalised by Jasper Carrott – in this live (‘unrecorded’) LWT show from 1979… pic.twitter.com/OYYh6fxB3V
— Gareth Joy (@lookoutwales2) July 14, 2023
Comedian Jasper Carrott – who once performed a routine concerning Tony’s on air style – is among those to have paid fond tribute.
He told BBC WM: “The wonderful thing about Tony is he had a wonderful sense of humour. He could give it out but he could also take it.”
Jasper continued: “I used to go to the football on a Saturday afternoon, and the first thing you did when you got in your car was turn on Tony Butler, there were just some classics. He was irrepressible, and of course he got into a lot of controversy with different things, but that was part of him, that’s what he was.”
“I thought the world of him.”
A true radio legend.
Jenny Wilkes, another treasured Radio WM star, hailed Tony on Twitter as “a true radio legend”.
So sad to share the news that radio legend Tony Butler has passed away. He died peacefully in his sleep on Friday afternoon at the age of 88.
I first worked with Tony in 1982 at BRMB, twiddling the knobs for his Saturday Sports Show and then later @bbcwm
A true radio legend pic.twitter.com/H1vtyK5lDj— Jenny Wilkes (@BillyQuiet) July 14, 2023
Tony Butler tributes
Other fans on social media praised Tony as “brilliant”.
Broadcaster Jim Rosenthal tweeted: “I was at BBC Radio Birmingham when Tony Butler started at BRMB…’What are you going to do?’, I asked him. ‘I’ll be totally different.’ he replied. And he was. A brilliant innovator. RIP Tony.”
Tony Butler feature on “ Saint & Greavsie”. This sums Tone up perfectly ! pic.twitter.com/3L9TtrXg7J
— Daz Hale BBC Radio WM (@DazHaleWM) July 15, 2023
“One of the greats, his show was iconic,” wrote another listener.
And another social media user remembered him: “Big, bold and West Midlands through and through.”
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