A Further Slice Of Johnners

Stories, interviews and anecdotes from the life of Brian Johnston, 'the voice of cricket'

Brian Johnston was one of the best-loved figures on radio and television and will always be remembered as 'the voice of cricket'. He joined the Outside Broadcasts Department of the BBC in 1946 and was a cricket commentator for the next 48 years, most notably as a member of the Test Match Special team. He commentated on state occasions and royal weddings and events such as the Boat Race and he also presented 733 episodes of Down Your Way. He died in 1994 at the age of 81. Barry Johnston is Brian's eldest son and has edited several of his father's books including Letters Home 1926 -- 1945, A Delicious Slice of Johnners and Another Slice of Johnners.

When Brian Johnston was a schoolboy, his reports were full of phrases such as 'talks too much in school' and 'apt to be a buffoon'. Later millions of radio listeners would be delighted to discover that some things never changed! Johnners brought his unique wit and personal charm to an enormous range of BBC radio and television programmes for nearly 50 years, from In Town Tonight and Down Your Way to Test Match Special. After Brian died in 1994, Christopher Martin-Jenkins wrote: 'It is hard to believe that anyone in the history of broadcasting has induced such widespread affection'. 
 
A Further Slice of Johnners covers Brian's early days, from his childhood in Hertfordshire and his schooldays at Eton and Oxford to his job in the family coffee business in the City and his service with the Grenadier Guards during the Second World War. There is also a selection of the most memorable characters and locations from his fifteen years on the Radio Four programme Down Your Way. Finally there is a collection of Brian's popular 'View From the Boundary' interviews on Test Match Special, including fascinating conversations with Eric Idle, John Major and Peter O'Toole.

A Delicious Slice Of Johnners

Brian Johnston will always be remembered as 'The Voice of Cricket'. He presented more than 700 episodes of Down Your Way, but was probably best known for his many years on Test Match Special.

Following Brian Johnston's death in 1994, Prime Minister John Major appeared to speak for the nation when he remarked that 'Summers will never be the same.' To an Englishman's ears, the sound of leather against willow will always be closely associated with the cheerful tones of Johnners. 
 
Brian Johnston was a man who admitted: 'I have this absurd hankering to make people laugh.' He also summed up his books as 'the meanderings of a remarkably happy and lucky person, to whom life, like cricket, is a funny game and still a lot of fun.' 
 
Lovingly edited by his eldest son, Barry, A Delicious Slice of Johnners is a wonderfully enjoyable compendium of three of Johnners' best loved books, the autobiographies It's Been a Lot of Fun and It's a Funny Game, and Rain Stops Play

Johnners At The Beeb

Barry Johnston presents a retrospective of his father's career as a much-loved BBC broadcaster.

Barry Johnston is the eldest son of legendary cricketer Brian Johnston. He was educated at Eton before becoming a songwriter for Apple Publishing, and in 1969 he joined the vocal harmony group Design. He sang with them for the next eight years (under his stage name, Barry Alexander) and appeared on over 50 TV shows in the 1970s, as well as writing several of their hit singles and many album tracks. After the band split up, Barry continued writing and, for two years, was manager of The New Seekers. He left the music business in 1983 to start a career in broadcasting, first on Californian breakfast show KLOA-AM and later with Radio Sussex and Radio 5. In 2006, he established Barn Productions, and has since produced over 100 audiobooks, including the award-winning Johnners at the Beeb and An Evening with Johnners. He has also edited several books and is the author of two biographies, Round Mr Horne: The Life of Kenneth Horne and Johnners: The Life of Brian.

Jovial Johnners was the doyen of cricket commentators, as well as a consumer of chocolate cake, a reporter, presenter, quizmaster and much-loved voice at State occasions. For nearly 50 years the ever-affable, always enthusiastic Brian Johnston brought warmth and wit to a wide range of BBC programmes - commentating for Test Match Special and the Boat Race, reporting for In Town Tonight and presenting Down Your Way, playing games on Twenty Questions and Trivia Test Match, and describing Royal events such as the Coronation and the marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Here, selected and introduced by his son Barry, is the best of Johnners at the Beeb, a marvellous kaleidoscope of the man at the microphone. The gaffes and the giggles are all included here, of course, helping to make an unforgettable portrait of this inimitable raconteur.

Brian Johnston Down Your Way: Favourite People And Places Vol. 2

More highlights from the BBC Radio series featuring Brian Johnston, selected by his son Barry Johnston.

Brian Johnston was born in 1912. He joined the BBC's Outside Broadcasts Department immediately after the war and worked first on live radio broadcasts from theatres and music-halls all over Great Britain. He was one of the first broadcasters to work for both television and radio and began his long association with cricket commentary in the summer of 1946. Between 1948 and 1952 he also presented the live feature 'Let's Go Somewhere' for the popular Saturday night programme In Town Tonight. 
 
He became the BBC's first Cricket Correspondent in 1963 and held this post until his retirement in 1972, after which he continued as a regular member of the Test Match Special team. He took over presenting Down Your Way from Franklin Engelmann in 1972 and continued for fifteen years. 
 
He published two autobiographies and fourteen other books, including Now Here's a Funny Thing, It's Been a Piece of Cake and Someone Who Was. He died in January 1994.

Down Your Way was one of the most popular programmes on BBC Radio from 1946 until 1992. Every week the presenter would visit a different city, town or village in the UK and interview six local people about its history, traditions and customs. Brian Johnston presented the series for fifteen years and for this recording, his son Barry has selected more of the fascinating people and places that his father visited on his travels. Brian meets famous people such as the former England footballer Nat Lofthouse, Australian cricket legend Sir Donald Bradman, and steeplejack and TV personality Fred Dibnah, as well as marvellous local characters, including the British snuff champion, a lady gurning champion, and a Scottish sheep shearer. He also takes a boat trip down the River Thames, visits Tower Bridge and Abbey Road studios, and goes to Salisbury Cathedral and Wigan Pier. This delightful recording illustrates the rich and colourful heritage of the people and places of Great Britain.

Brian Johnston Down Your Way: Favourite People And Places Vol. 1

Highlights from the BBC Radio series featuring Brian Johnston, specially selected by his son Barry Johnston.

A classy piece of classic radio, well worth revisiting

Down Your Way was one of the most popular programmes on radio and spanned six decades. Every week the presenter would visit towns and villages throughout the UK, discovering fascinating people and places. Brian Johnston presented the series for fifteen years and 733 programmes. For this recording, his son Barry has selected the most eccentric, famous and interesting people, and the most colourful places, that his father visited on his travels. Along the way Brian meets such famous people as Sir Roger Bannister, HRH Prince Philip, Denis Compton and John Laurie (Private Frazer in Dad’s Army), as well as Frank Searle, who has spotted the Loch Ness Monster. Brian also takes in Land’s End, Alice Springs, and even goes underground to visit the Cabinet War Rooms and the Bank of England’s gold vault. Released for the first time on audio, this recording includes part of Brian Johnston’s final programme. It presents a timeless view of Britain, a land peopled by countless characters among its rich heritage.

Brian Johnston

Following the success of A Delicious Slice of Johnners, Barry Johnston has edited another delightful anthology based on three of his father’s most popular books, Brian Johnston’s Guide to Cricket, Chatterboxes and It’s Been a Piece of Cake.

Brian Johnston

Books by Brian Johnston

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