Big George facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Big George
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| Born |
George Webley
29 May 1957 Clapham, London, England
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| Died | 7 May 2011 (aged 53) Milton Keynes, England
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| Occupation | Broadcaster, musician, composer, bandleader |
| Spouse(s) | Sheila Webley (?–2011) (his death) |
| Children | 4 |
George Webley (born May 29, 1957 – died May 7, 2011), known as Big George, was a talented British musician, composer, and radio host. He was famous for writing music for many popular TV shows. People often called him one of Britain's best writers of theme music.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
George Webley was born in Clapham, London. When he was very young, a famous musician named Donald Swann visited his school. George said that from that moment, he knew music was what he wanted to do with his life.
He left school at just 14 years old to join a traveling showband. Later, he became good friends with bassist Herbie Flowers. George worked as a session musician (someone who plays music for recordings) until he was 30.
George's Music Career
At 30, George became a musical director for EMI, a big music company. He helped produce many hit songs. In 1989, he became the bandleader for a TV show called Jameson Tonight.
Famous TV Theme Songs
George Webley wrote or arranged the music for many well-known TV shows. You might recognize his work from:
- Have I Got News for You
- The Office
- Room 101
- The Graham Norton Show
He even wrote the music played at the end of One Foot in the Grave. George once said he earned more money from that short piece of music than from the famous Have I Got News for You theme!
Other Compositions
Besides TV, George wrote music for the National Theatre, ballet shows, and radio programs. He also created many other themes and songs.
George's Broadcasting Career
In 1994, George started hosting a late-night radio show on GLR. He had to take three years off after suffering a serious health issue while on air.
Return to Radio and Awards
When he returned in 1999, George hosted Music File, an educational TV series on BBC Two. This show won an award for being excellent for learning. In 2002, he won a Sony Radio Academy Gold Award for being the Best Music Presenter. This was for his show on BBC Three Counties.
On his Milton Keynes Breakfast program, he started "Cabbie Chat – The Rank Opinion." This was a fun idea where he asked taxi drivers in Milton Keynes what they thought about the day's news.
Expert on TV and Radio
George was also a musicologist, meaning he was an expert on music. He appeared on many TV and radio shows to share his knowledge. These included The Big Breakfast, Today on BBC Radio 4, and 5Live Breakfast.
He also wrote and produced documentaries for Radio 4. George worked with famous radio host Chris Moyles, creating many funny songs and performances for the Radio 1 Roadshow. Chris Moyles even called him a "genius" in his book!
BBC London 94.9 (2006–2011)
George Webley joined BBC London 94.9 again in August 2006. He hosted his radio show there for four years. He often presented late-night shows, talking about issues in London and the day's news.
Show Features
Listeners loved George's show because he was witty and knew a lot about music. He often had fun sing-alongs with callers and enjoyed pop quizzes from them. His show even had many listeners from outside the UK, like Syria and Taiwan!
One popular part of his show was the "moan in." This was where listeners could call in and talk about things that were bothering them. It was a bit like American talk radio.
Live Band Performances
George had his own band called "the G Spot." Their first show was on August 28, 2010, at the National Theatre in London. This performance was filmed for a reality TV show.
Personal Life and Passing
George Webley was married to Sheila and had four children: two sons (Harry and Twig) and two daughters (Natalie Jayne and Clare). He also had three grandchildren.
George passed away on May 7, 2011, at the age of 53. He died at his home in Milton Keynes due to health reasons.
