Ed Doolan facts for kids

Edwin Myer Doolan (born July 20, 1941 – died January 16, 2018) was a famous radio presenter. He was born in Sydney, Australia, but later became a British citizen. Ed was well-known for his work at Birmingham's first commercial radio station, BRMB. Later, he joined the BBC.

At the BBC, he hosted a weekly show on BBC WM. On this show, he shared interesting clips from his old broadcasts. Ed Doolan was honored for his amazing radio career. He was even added to the British Radio Academy's Radio Hall of Fame. He also received special degrees from three universities in Birmingham. He was the first person to get this honor from all three.

In 2011, Ed Doolan announced he would be working less. He said he could no longer keep up his busy work schedule. His main show then became a Sunday lunchtime program. Ed Doolan passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 16, 2018. He had been dealing with dementia.

Ed Doolan's Amazing Career

From Teacher to Radio Star

Before becoming a radio star, Ed Doolan was a school teacher. He taught for ten years in different cities. These included Sydney, Edinburgh, and London. In 1970, he moved to Cologne, Germany. This is where his radio journey began.

He started working for Radio Deutsche Welle. This was the German World Service. While in Cologne, he also worked for BFBS Germany. He was the quizmaster for a show called Top Marks. This was a British schools quiz program.

Making a Difference on the Radio

From 1974 to 1981, Doolan worked at BRMB. This was Birmingham's first commercial radio station. In 1982, he moved to BBC Radio WM. He started his popular consumer program on BBC WM in 1988.

Ed Doolan was famous for helping people. He pioneered what is called "social action broadcasting." This meant he would tackle dishonest businesses. He helped regular people who had been treated unfairly. He even challenged big companies and local councils. If an injustice was done, he would speak up.

He was also a writer and television presenter. He appeared on news shows like BBC Midlands Today. He wrote nearly 950 weekly columns for the Birmingham Mail newspaper.

Helping Consumers and Charities

On his consumer show, Ed Doolan wanted to "make a difference." He especially wanted to help those who were less fortunate. Through his radio work and charity efforts, he achieved great success. He was deeply involved in many charities that carried his name.

Ed Doolan had a huge collection of old radio and TV shows. He found a lost ten-minute part of the famous show Dad's Army. This was from a 1968 Christmas special.

Interviewing Famous People

In 1993, Doolan co-hosted a live TV talk show. It was called Central Weekend Live. But he always preferred radio over television. He interviewed many famous people. These included actors like Telly Savalas and Leonard Nimoy. He also spoke with singers like Slim Dusty. He even interviewed Princess Anne.

Ed Doolan interviewed almost every British Prime Minister. He spoke with leaders since Sir Alec Douglas-Home (1963). The only one he didn't interview was Harold Wilson.

Living with Dementia

In January 2015, Ed Doolan shared something personal. He revealed that he had been living with dementia for two years. This was why he had stopped working on live radio. He said he wanted to continue working as long as the BBC would let him.

He explained why he decided to speak out. He said, "I think if what's happening to me is happening to other people who can come out and say this is me, this is what's happening, then people don't get frightened by it."

Ed Doolan's Passing

Ed Doolan passed away in the early morning of January 16, 2018. His funeral was a private ceremony. It was held on February 5, 2018. A public memorial service was held later. This took place at Birmingham Cathedral on May 17, 2018.