Born in deepest darkest Derbyshire in 1968 and raised in rural Staffordshire I have been in the radio business since July the 9th 1984. I can be that specific as I was fortunate enough to get my radio baptism the day after my 16th birthday while still at college.

Aside from Radio Sales there aren’t any areas of the business that I haven’t been involved in and that is why I still find broadcasting and the surrounding disciplines so challenging, rewarding and exciting. My career began at Signal Radio in Stoke on Trent, as is the way with radio if you want to get on you volunteer for everything and I would regularly spend every waking hour working and playing in studio’s until my on air break finally came.

mark-thorburn

mark-thorburn

After Signal, I moved to present breakfast at Marcher Sound / MFM, picking up many more skills along the way until the big time came calling.... Metro Radio in the North East.

After a rather comical meeting at a service station on the M6, comical in that we had agreed to meet at the northbound Killington Lake services.... anyone who knows this area will be aware that they don’t exist, only southbound!! But we got there in the end and from January 1991 until mid 2000 I presented virtually every programme including a very successful breakfast show. Whilst working for Metro I also freelanced for Border Television, presenting their in vision news and continuity.

After Metro I moved for a couple of years to their North East rivals Century Radio (now Real) and presented a double headed lunchtime programme, that was until I was called back into the Metro fold to become the Programme Director for the Northern Magic Network of stations. Again valuable new skills were learnt in programme management. That was until I was asked to rejoin Metro itself where I took on the failing 10am till 2pm slot and was successful in building on hours and reach year on year while still assisting in the management of the Magic Network.

On a personal note I have a keen interest in history, particularly nautical and aviation history. I went so far as to qualify as a pilot however a growing family meant that the stretch on resources was too much... Maybe one day I’ll be back in the air!

My historical interest has meant that I, along with many other enthusiastic organisations and individuals are putting together ‘Collingwood2010’ a year long celebration of the life of Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, famously second in command to Admiral Nelson at the battle of Trafalgar and a true North East Hero.

I live with my family in rural Northumberland and like nothing better than stealing hugs from my youngest and feeding the ducks.