Tributes have been paid to Doug Wood, one of the original voices on Signal Radio, following his death this week. He was 69.
Doug was part of the launch team at Signal Radio in 1983 and spent more than three decades on air in Staffordshire before later joining Moorlands Radio, The HitMix and launching his own online station, The Radio Ship.
He died on Wednesday, 30 July, after a short illness. Across social media, radio colleagues and listeners remembered Doug as a skilled broadcaster and generous colleague.
Doug began his career with offshore and pirate stations including the Voice of Peace in the Middle East, before returning to the UK and joining Signal just before it launched on 5 September 1983.
In an interview in 2017, Doug recalled: “That first year, the station nearly went under. One night we were told that if we came in the morning and there were chains on the doors, we should just go home. But a deal was struck and we carried on.”
His time at Signal 1 included presenting and production roles, and he worked alongside names such as Mel Scholes, Andy Goulding and Sam Plank. Doug embraced changes in the industry and later championed the legacy of offshore radio with The Radio Ship, which streamed online.
A post from The HitMix, where Doug last worked on air, said: “A great loss to the world of radio and the world in general. Reunited with his beloved wife Lynne. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”
Blue Sky Radio added: “An amazingly talented broadcaster and fantastic human being. We are all thinking of his family and loved ones.”
Doug lived in Meir Park, Stoke-on-Trent, and remained active in local radio for over 40 years. He was widely respected by colleagues across the North Staffordshire broadcast community.
See a tribute to Doug on the RadioLondon.co.uk website.
This story first appeared on radiotoday.co.uk