I am a Geordie, born in Hebburn County Durham, and educated at nearby Jarrow Grammar School. By my early twenties I was probably the youngest Ballroom promoter in the UK. My first Band was a 'Western Hawaiian' Swing Band. Then I played Tenor Saxophone in a 13 piece conventional outfit which I fronted, and with which I vocalised.
Parallel with this I obtained a degree in Practical and Applied Psychology and studied for the Church, being licensed by the Bishop of Newcastle and living in the Clergy House at St Martins, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Many years ago I resigned from the Anglican Church to take up the Post of Minister of an Independent Mission. I've always believed going to Church should be an enjoyable experience and not a forced march. It was there that I founded the following:
• AL BOWLLY CIRCLE
• GOLDEN YEARS MAGAZINE
• MEMORY LANE MAGAZINE
• BRITISH BAND-LEADERS CLUB (Lew Stone was the Chairman of this Club)
• THE THIRTIES CLUB
A Youth Choir which I formed got TV and Radio work, and I did the vocal backing arrangements for Janie Marden and others on Christmas TV Shows.
I started my Broadcasting career in the 60's on Radio 390, a so called Pirate Radio in the Thames Estuary. The programme about Al Bowlly's Life Story is still on sale today! At the time I worked for an American Cosmetic Company, Shulton UK, the Old Spice manufactures as their UK Credit Controller.
In 1970 I was offered a post at the forthcoming BBC Radio Newcastle and I am the longest serving presenter on the Station.
My principal job then was News Reporter and Music Producer, eventually moving to prime time mid week broadcasting and specializing in Radio versions of my 'Thirties Club', and Inspirational Gospel Productions.
In 1980, the Daily Mirror voted me the Top Local Radio DJ in Britain beating the likes of Michael Aspel and Dale Winton who was in bottom place at 14th.
By 1981 I was Superintendent Minister of the largest and best attended Multi faith Church in the North and it was a familiar sight to see people queuing outside of this Church before the Service. I placed the only memorial to Al Bowlly in this 1,000 seater stone built Victorian edifice and formed the Studio Band which is still the most requested group on my 2 Radio Shows - The Pipe-dreamers (5 piece).
I was the only Clergyman/Broadcaster in Britain to dedicate, marry and bury my listeners and as the only Minister in the UK to marry folk from all nationalities, creeds and colours, the Jewish Community planted a tree in the Royal Forest in Israel, with my name attached for my work in promoting Racial and Religious harmony.
In 1987 I was appointed Chaplain to 346 Squadron of the Air Training Corps.
I have been with the BBC now for 39 years
Sunday night on BBC Radio's Newcastle and North Yorkshire from 7 - 10pm sees me specialising in Dance, Jazz and Swing Music from the 20's to the 50s together with the attendant vocalists, together with the best of regional talent past and present.
However, it would be a mistake to typecast me into this role
I also present an Inspirational Show on BBC Radio Newcastle on Sunday Mornings 6 - 7.30am. The programme has attained legendary status with listeners of all ages and religious persuasion - as the Stations longest running programme it has been broadcast for 39 years. Obviously, I am an authority on Gospel and Inspirational music which cuts through denominationalism.
I filled the largest local venues, City Hall Newcastle and Empire Theatre Sunderland for gospel and Variety Shows, and the Mayfair Ballroom Newcastle for Dances, and hold the record for the fastest selling Show in Newcastle's City Hall. 5000 tickets went in 1½ hours. The first lady in the queue was there at 5.30am and bought 120 tickets - she was running trip buses and when Paul McCartney and Wings appeared there, Paul saw a large notice in the entrance WAPPAT SHOW SOLD OUT - "What's a Wappat Show?" - he asked Bob Brown the City Hall Manager.
I have always been interested in local material and have amassed a great library of local artists and was awarded a Jack of Clubs award for promoting Local Talent. I hold to my credit the honour of having re-launched Tyneside Comedian Bobby Thompson's failing career.
I am a well know Recording Engineer for several Record Companies as well as BBC Radio and Television Companies, and discovered the Italian tenor, Renato and recorded his Christmas single when he was at No 1 in the Charts. Several Record Companies depend on me for re-mastering material, for them to issue on CD.
I have received several commendations for my remastering skills and in 1998 and 2000 (after suffering a serious stroke that nearly claimed my life) I won two Sony Awards for my Monday Night Programme - Master Joe Petersen Story and the Chick Henderson Story which proved that the Royal Navy's story of his death was a fake, and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the BBC in 2004.
I have written 5 books - the Chick Henderson Story which was later made into a 55 minute TV documentary, Master Joe Petersen, which has attracted interest in the film industry, Fell Pottery is my third book on one of my many loves, North East England Pottery, "The History of Primitive Methodism" where I live and finally my own biography - "I'll BBCing You" - It is instantly noticeable that the books I have written mirror my lifestyle and interests.
In 2008 I was voted one of the 500 most influential people in the North East of England, by the Newcastle Journal. To consider who to include, they first decided what they meant by influential and came up with this definition:
"WHAT does it mean to be influential? It is something that we thought long and hard about, believe me, as we developed the idea for the Influential 500. Its definition, for the record, is: "the effect of one person or thing on another; the power to have such an effect". There are literally thousands of people across the North East who are influential. They could exert that influence in their workplace, in their profession, in their community, in a sport, or in any other sphere of life"
Susan who works with me is my wife. I had to tell listeners she's my wife because I was getting embarrassed at the propositions, fan mail, gifts and requests for photographs that she was receiving. Together we make the journey to the Studio in Newcastle upon Tyne to present my programmes.
A BBC Programme Organiser once said "snap Frank Wappat in two, and you'll see 3 letters running through him - BBC", and I am as loyal to the BBC and my listeners today as I was when he joined them back in 1971 - proved when a Commercial Radio Station offered me 3 times my BBC salary to join them just a few years ago.
Possibly the highest compliment paid about my broadcast style was when one of my listeners said "when Franks on the air its not like turning the Radio on, its like opening the door to a friend" and as my former boss and respected BBC man Tony Fish said - my broadcasts are not just radio programme's they are a way of life for me and my listeners.
