Farewell Barry

Farewell my friend, Barry Humphries.

Even when we know someone isn’t very well, we never think that we may never see or speak to them again!

Barry and I had been working on our seventh series of ‘Barry’s Forgotten Musical Masterpieces’ for BBC Radio 2 – a selection of music, largely from the 1920s, 30s and 40s. This will of course now not be recorded or broadcast.

The first series went out in January 2016 and, thanks to lovely reviews, the show has kept being re-commissioned. The roots of the show, date back to around ten years before the first broadcast, when I was working in an administrative role on David Jacobs’ show. I was assistant to David’s producer at Radio 2 and, my weekly tasks included filing piles and piles of CDs back into filing cabinets after recordings. So, now, you know, ‘The David Jacobs’ Collection’ was housed in several grey, rather dull looking filing cabinets in Western House (later re-named Wogan House in honour of Sir Terry), yet inside these cabinets such diamond-encrusted audio riches were held.

Filing the CDs would always take me longer than anyone else, because I’d get so easily distracted by the tantalising tracklists and inlay cards. One day in 2004, I discovered a complication CD produced by Barry Humphries (with an Australian Record Producer named Bill Armstrong) full of old records (there would eventually be 4 of these ‘So Rare’ compilations, featuring the likes of Hildegard, Al Bowlly, Greta Keller, Chick Henderson…). I was instantly intrigued and made a mental note. Later, I read Barry’s autobiographies and discovered they were all packed full of musical references. So, when I left the BBC to become a freelance Radio Producer in 2012, I knew I wanted to try and get him on-air!

‘Barry’s Forgotten Musical Masterpieces’ was originally commissioned by Radio 2 in 2013, but it would take me another three years to tie Barry down and record. He was just so busy, yet we’ve kept the series coming ever since and also made two Christmas Specials. Since Covid came along, Barry recorded the programmes at his home in London. He would sit between two clotheshorses supporting a duvet – because soft surfaces are better for the acoustics. Every now again we would inevitably have to contend with the sound of distant drilling somewhere close-by in North London, but our listeners were either, very forgiving, or didn’t notice because the music he played was so gripping.

Starting with Gillian Reynolds and ending with Gerard O'Donovan – many reviewers have said lovely things about ‘Barry’s Forgotten Musical Masterpieces’ and we were very grateful.

Barry Humphries was the consummate entertainer in every way, not least because he’s left us wanting so much more!

I was very honoured to call him my friend.