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Mayo graduated from Warwick University with an academic degree in history and politics and began a four year stint as a presenter with BBC Radio Nottingham, before joining the national pop network BBC Radio 1 in 1986.

His confident, mildly cynical style of articulate music presentation quickly earned him many admirers and within two years of joining the station he had become the host of the flagship breakfast show.

Mayo spent five years waking up the nation and the programme remains arguably the most consistent breakfast programme which Radio 1 has ever had. Throughout his tenure, Mayo was joined by news anchor Rod McKenzie and went through a series of sidekick weather girls, including Carol Dooley, Sybil Ruscoe, Jakki Brambles and Dianne Oxberry. The show's producer was Ric Blaxill, though most mornings he would often pretend to be a celebrity acting as a 'guest producer'. often without attempting even slightly to impersonate the celeb in question.

The programme became known for various successful features, including a throwback to Mayo's student days in the daily almanac On This Day In History, famously soundtracked by a looped version of George Michael's I Want Your Sex; and the long-running cryptic game The Identik-Hit Quiz, where Mayo and his cohorts would 'act' a short scene which cyptically led listeners to the title of a hit song.

He also patented his hugely successful Confessions feature where members of the public sought absolution for their " sins" (most of which were frivolous or humorous) and it became a moderate television success in later years. Mayo had already presented the dilemma show Scruples for BBC television, and had joined his Radio 1 colleagues on the host roster for Top Of The Pops.

Thanks to endless plays from Mayo, several unlikely hit singles reached the UK charts, including Kinky Boots by Patrick MacneePatrick Macnee (born February 6, 1922) is a British actor. His mother became a lesbian and had a live-in partner who helped pay for his schooling. Macnee became an American citizen in 1959. Despite numerous roles in theatre, on television and in cinema, M and Honor BlackmanHonor Blackman ( 12 December 1927 is a British actress. She is mostly remembered for the roles of Cathy Gale in The Avengers and as Bond girl Pussy Galore in Goldfinger. Blackman trained as an actress at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.; Donald Where's Yer Troosers by Andy StewartFor the musician who was a member of Silly Wizard see Andy M. Stewart Andy Stewart ( 1933 1994) was a Scottish singer and entertainer. The use of tartan patriotism and stereotype Scottish humour goes back to Sir Harry Lauder and music hall songs. In the 1; and Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life, sung and written by Eric IdleMonty Python film Life of Brian Eric Idle (b. March 29, 1943, South Shields, County Durham, England)is a comedian, sketch writer, and actor as well as an author and accomplished guitarist and songwriter. He is perhaps best known as a member of the British. For helping Monty PythonMonty Python or The Pythons were the creators and stars of Monty Python's Flying Circus the television comedy series first aired on October 5, 1969. As a television series it consisted of 45 episodes over 4 series; however, the phenomenon that is Monty Py have a hit with the latter (13 years after it first appeared on the soundtrack to The Life Of BrianLife of Brian is a film from 1979 by Monty Python which deals with the life of Brian (played by Graham Chapman), a young man born at the nearly the same time as, and in a manger right down the street from Jesus Christ. In 2004 the magazine Total Film name), Idle presented Mayo with a model bare foot, in the style of the animated version which used to end the opening titles to the TV show.

When Mayo's wife Hilary, a producer whom he met at BBC Radio Nottingham, gave birth to their son Ben in 1990Events January January 3 Former leader of Panama Manuel Noriega surrenders to American forces. January 7 The Leaning Tower of Pisa is closed to the public due to safety concerns. January 9 Lt Gen Bazilio Olara Okello The man who led the coup aginst Dr Apo, Mayo took an extended period of paternity leave, becoming one of the first high-profile males to do so as the trend for fathers to spend more time at home with newborn children gathered pace. The couple have subsequently had two more children.

Mayo officially gave up the breakfast show in 1993, though he had been on another extended period of paternity leave when the announcement was made, and his stand-in Mark Goodier was confirmed as his permanent replacement. Mayo moved on to the mid-morning slot and survived the huge cull of a long-standing presenters which Radio 1 underwent the same year on the arrival of controller Matthew Bannister and his wish to rebrand the station as younger and more cutting edge.

Mayo settled professionally and uncontroversially into his new show and stayed there for eight years, though briefly returned to the breakfast show when the maverick Chris Evans was dismissed after one absence too many. This short spell back on breakfast was seen by many as a breath of fresh air, but both Mayo and Radio 1 ruled out the possibilities of a permanent return to the flagship programme. On his first morning as breakfast stand-in, he read out an email from a man who had emigrated to New Zealand four years earlier and had arrived back in the UK that morning, and was "delighted to hear you're still doing the breakfast show".

In 2001, after 15 years with Radio 1, Mayo announced he was leaving to join sister station Five Live to present an afternoon programme, and there he remains. He was on air when the 9/11 disasters occurred, and received huge acclaim for the way he handled the station's reaction to the atrocity.

The programme generally combines topical debates, interviews and reviews, and features Mayo's old Radio 1 sidekick Mark Kermode waspishly reviewing the new movie releases each Friday afternoon.

Mayo still keeps his eye in with music presentation by hosting the Album Chart show each week for BBC Radio 2.

His TV work has been less frequent lately, though he did briefly present the BBC show Winning Lines as part of the corporation's National Lottery output.

Away from his work, Mayo is known for his love of Tottenham Hotspur and his devout religious faith.