Brian Redhead
His sharp, questioning voice defined the sound of British mornings for nearly two decades on the BBC's Today programme.
1929–1994 (age 65)·British journalist and broadcaster·Birthday: December 28·The Silent Generation
Biography
Brian Redhead was a broadcaster who became the intellectual conscience of BBC Radio 4's Today programme. With a career rooted in the north of England, he brought a distinct, non-metropolitan perspective to national news. His style was combative yet warm, characterized by a relentless curiosity and a deep, resonant voice that commanded attention. Redhead's interviews were events, often pushing politicians and thinkers beyond their prepared statements. He championed his beloved Manchester and the industrial north, ensuring their stories were heard in London-centric media. His sudden departure from the airwaves in 1993, due to illness, left a void that listeners felt acutely, marking the end of an era for a certain style of cerebral, principled broadcasting.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Brian was born in 1929, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1929
#1 Movie
The Broadway Melody
Best Picture
The Broadway Melody
Brian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1929Born
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1934Started school
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1942Became a teenager
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1945Could drive
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1947Could vote
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1950Turned 21
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1959Turned 30
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 40
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 50
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 60
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1994Died at 65
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
Key Achievements
- Co-presented the BBC Radio 4 Today programme for 18 years, from 1975 to 1993.
- Authored several books on history and the landscape of Northern England.
- Was a key figure in establishing the Today programme's reputation for rigorous political interrogation.
- Served as the northern editor for The Guardian before moving to full-time broadcasting.
Did You Know?
He was a qualified teacher and taught history before entering journalism.
Redhead was a passionate fell walker and wrote a book about the Pennine Way.
He once interviewed a former Prime Minister while walking across the Yorkshire moors.
His son is the television presenter and naturalist Simon King.
“The art of the interviewer is not to ask the most clever questions, but to get the most interesting answers.”
