David Stafford (11 April 1949 – 22 October 2023) was an English

writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles, genres and techniques to communicate ideas, to inspire feelings and emotions, or to entertain. Writers may develop different forms of writing such as novels, short sto ...

, broadcaster and occasional

musician A musician is someone who Composer, composes, Conducting, conducts, or Performing arts#Performers, performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general Terminology, term used to designate a person who fol ...

Biography

Stafford was born in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

where he attended King Edward VI Aston School. He began his career in

fringe Fringe may refer to: Arts and music * "The Fringe", or Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world's largest arts festival * Adelaide Fringe, the world's second-largest annual arts festival * Fringe theatre, a name for alternative theatre * Purple fri ...

and

community theatre Community theatre refers to any Theatre, theatrical performance made in relation to particular Community, communities—its usage includes theatre made by, with, and for a community. It may refer to a production that is made entirely by a communit ...

in the 1970s. In the early 1980s, he collaborated and toured with

Alexei Sayle Alexei David Sayle (born 7 August 1952) is an English actor, author, stand-up comedian, television presenter and former recording artist. He was a leading figure in the British alternative comedy movement in the 1980s. He was voted the 18th g ...

, which resulted in two series for

Capital Radio Capital London is an Independent Local Radio station owned and operated by Global Media & Entertainment as part of its national Capital (radio network), Capital Network. As Capital Radio it was launched in the London area in 1973 as one of Bri ...

, two plays for TV, a book, ''Great Bus Journeys of the World'', and various songs and recordings including ''Doctor Marten's Boots''. At the same time he was a presenter on the

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...

consumer programme ''4 What It’s Worth'', contributed to many arts programmes and documentaries including ''The Media Show'' (Channel 4) and extensively to '' The Late Show (BBC2)''. His TV plays included ''Dread Poets Society'' (

BBC2 BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's second flagship channel, and it covers a wide range of subject matter, incorporating genres such as comedy, drama and ...

) co-written with the poet

Benjamin Zephaniah Benjamin Obadiah Iqbal Zephaniah (15 April 1958 – 7 December 2023) was a British writer, dub poet, actor, musician and professor of poetry and creative writing. Over his lifetime, he was awarded 20 honorary doctorates in recognition of his c ...

. For ten years he also wrote a weekly column for the Saturday ''

Guardian Guardian usually refers to: * Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another * ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper (The) Guardian(s) may also refer to: Places * Guardian, West Virginia, Unit ...

'', eventually called "Staffordshire Bull". During the 1990s, Stafford presented ''Tracks'' for

, ''Going Places'' for

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasti ...

and was a regular panellist on Radio 4's literary parody game, ''Booked''. He took over from Pete McCarthy as host of the Radio 4 panel game ''X Marks the Spot'', and frequently stood in for

John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), better known as John Peel, was an English radio presenter and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original disc jockeys on BBC Radio 1, broadcasting regularly from ...

as the presenter of ''

Home Truths ''Home Truths'' is a weekly BBC Radio 4 programme which began on 11 April 1998 and was usually hosted by the DJ John Peel until his death in October 2004. In the Saturday 910am slot, it gradually became one of Radio 4's most successful program ...

''. After Peel's death, he became first one of the pool of presenters and later sole presenter of the programme. Stafford collaborated with his wife Caroline, writing comedies and dramas, mostly for radio, including ''Man of Soup'', ''The Brothers'', ''Hazelbeach'', ''The True and Inspirational Life Of St Nicholas'' (winner of the Prix Marulic),''The Day The Planes Came'', ''The Year They Invented Sex'', ''Hancock's Ashes'' and a series of legal dramas based on the true-life cases of Norman Birkett. The couple wrote five biographies, all published by

Omnibus Press Omnibus Press is a publisher of music-related books. It publishes around 30 new titles a year to add to a backlist of over 300 titles currently in print. History Omnibus Press was launched in 1972 as a general non-fiction publisher to complem ...

: ''Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be - The Life of

Lionel Bart Lionel Bart (1 August 1930 – 3 April 1999) was an English writer and composer of pop music and musicals. He wrote Tommy Steele's "Rock with the Caveman" and was the sole creator of the musical ''Oliver!'' (1960). With ''Oliver!'' and his work ...

,'' (2011), which was chosen as

's Book of The Week and shortlisted for the Sheridan Morley Award; ''Cupid Stunts - The Life and Radio Times of

Kenny Everett Kenny Everett (born Maurice James Christopher Cole; 25 December 1944 – 4 April 1995) was an English radio Disc Jockey, DJ and television entertainer, known for his zany comedic style. After spells on pirate radio and Radio Luxembourg in the m ...

'' (2014); ''Big Time - The Life of

Adam Faith Terence Nelhams Wright (23 June 1940 – 8 March 2003), known as Adam Faith, was an English singer, actor, and financial journalist. As a British rock and roll teen idol, he scored consecutive No. 1 hits on the UK singles chart with " What ...

'' (2015); ''Maybe I'm Doing it Wrong - The Life and Music of

Randy Newman Randall Stuart Newman (born November 28, 1943) is an American singer, songwriter, arranger, pianist, composer, conductor and orchestrator. He is known for his non-rhotic Southern American English, Southern-accented singing style, early America ...

'' (2016) and ''Halfway to Paradise - The Life of

Billy Fury Ronald Wycherley (17 April 1940 – 28 January 1983), better known by his stage name Billy Fury, was an English musician. An early star of rock and roll, he spent 332 weeks on the UK singles chart. His hit singles include " Wondrous Place", " H ...

'' (2018). In 2020, Stafford's first novel, ''Skelton's Guide To Domestic Poisons'', was published by

Allison and Busby Allison & Busby (A & B) is a publishing house based in London established by Clive Allison and Margaret Busby in 1967. The company has built up a reputation as a leading independent publisher. Background Launching as a publishing company in May ...

. The sequel, ''Skelton's Guide to Suitcase Murders'' followed in April 2021. Stafford lived in North London and died on 22 October 2023, at the age of 74. He was survived by his wife and writing partner, Caroline, and their three adult children.

References

External links

Caroline and David Stafford's website
1949 births 2023 deaths English radio personalities Writers from Birmingham, West Midlands {{UK-radio-bio-stub