Almost 50 years ago, Richard Allinson (Economics, 1980, Fylde) stepped into the Bailrigg FM studio for the first time and so began his journey to a national broadcasting career.

Perhaps it was fate that the university’s radio station was then based in Fylde College where Richard arrived in 1977.

“I discovered the radio station on the way to the Fylde bar in my first week and was told they were launching a new nightly DJ show so I put my name down.”

The following evening, Richard popped into the station only to be asked by Matt Johnson if he could fill in for a DJ who hadn’t turned up.

“With just 20 minutes notice before I was on air for the first time, I was faced with a wall full of vinyl and told to pick an hour of records.”

This baptism of broadcasting fire turned into a career which has spanned 17 years at Capital, another 17 at BBC Radio 2, seven years at Magic Radio and Richard can currently be heard on Greatest Hits Radio.

Among his many memorable moments are attending an ‘awesome’ gig by Sting in Italy and shopping with David Bowie in New York.

Richard first discovered his love of music as a teenager in Solihull where he ran a mobile disco around Birmingham.

He arrived in Lancaster at a time when the Great Hall on campus was hosting big names in music and has particular memories of seeing Blondie, The Ramones and the Average White Band perform there.

“Some people thought that Lancaster was the back of beyond but it was really tuned in. It was a great time. You could see amazing acts there for pennies.”

In his second year, when he had become controller of Bailrigg FM, the role came with a free room on campus, and Richard was presenting the breakfast Rise & Shine show and a Sunday afternoon show.

“If someone came into the station with an idea, we would just do it and although we were only supposed to be broadcasting to the campus, we were picked up in other places including Liverpool and Blackpool so record companies sent us all the new music.”

Several of Richard’s contemporaries at the station, like him, pursued a broadcasting career including Mik Wilkojc, who produced Steve Wright on Radio 1, and Bob Nettles, a BBC broadcasting engineer.

When not broadcasting on campus, Richard, who was the first member of his family to attend university, had chosen to study economics because he was interested in a subject which seemed connected to the real world. His A-Level economics teacher recommended Lancaster.

“The first time I saw campus was on that October day when I turned up and it was very exciting. It was like a little city and very windy!”

He enjoyed all the intellectually stimulating discussions that were part of his course which also included modules in marketing and law.

As graduation moved closer in 1980, the self-confessed petrol-head, applied for a job with Lucas Industries and out of 200 other applicants was successful. With a £7,500 annual salary and a Ford Capri thrown in, Richard thought his future was assured. Those were different times.

However, after accepting the job, he was approached by Capital who had received one of the many demo tapes he’d sent to various stations.

“Capital were looking for a new voice. They were the only station to respond to my demos. Again, like at Bailrigg, it all happened quickly. They called within three days, three days later I met them, three weeks later I was on air.Although I was only supposed to stay at Capital for five weeks, I stayed 17 years.”

As a graduate, Richard was a novelty at Capital because not many broadcasters were university educated so he often gave talks to students about radio careers.

Capital in the 1980s meant other opportunities came along, including the BBC World Service, BFBS British Forces Broadcasting to our forces overseas and VH-1, the more adult-oriented relative to MTV.

In 1997 Richard joined Radio 2 for a new Late Show, winning the first of several Sony Awards: “we had a great team, great guests and an audience who loved to take part too.”

His Saturday Afternoon Sequence featured the Wall of Sound instant jukebox which now lives on at Greatest Hits Radio.

Away from the microphone Richard launched Magnum Opus Broadcasting with the record producer Steve Levine and created The Record Producers award-winning documentary series featuring Quincy Jones, Nile Rodgers, Sir George Martin and Trevor Horn.

The father of three has returned to Lancaster once to receive an alumni recognition award and still meets with a couple of university friends regularly.

“Lancaster was a very safe place and people were very welcoming. It changed my outlook on the world in a good way.

Life takes various turns that no-one can plan but I think that if you go to university for three years and graduate, you can probably cope with anything.”

Now 67, Richard will continue to broadcast as long as he stays relevant: “Basically, I’ve been locked in a padded room talking to myself for more than 45 years and people continue to listen and follow me to stations across the country.

Radio listening is still strong and the number of talented young people getting into broadcasting - many more of them graduates - is hugely encouraging.

It’s not that the landscape has changed since I started, it’s more like a different planet in a parallel universe. Still, I get to work alongside a great bunch of talented and enthusiastic people and there hasn't been a day when I haven’t looked forward to doing this.”

And it all started at Bailrigg FM.