life - INTERVIEW
especially where accidents or children
are involved. I love dealing with people
that nobody else wants to talk to because
of the horror of their situation.”
Do you get emotionally involved with the
job? “Yes I do, only last night I was talking to
my local vicar in Totland about how people
presume that because I do this sort of job
you can become detached from the situation.
During his time as
You can’t deal with a death of a child or a
councillor David was
teenager without becoming involved. I have
invited onto local radio,,
had many occasions where I wake up in
now David has got the
the middle of the night thinking about it,
bug for it.
because at the time you’re so close to the
Today he hosts a show
person that’s suffering. The worst case I
(sometimes) with Alex
ever dealt with was a fellow up in London
Dyke on Isle of Wight
who had left his son in the car whilst he
Radio. “I’m there to keep
went and got an estimate for something or
a leash on Alex when I
other and unfortunately whilst he was away
can, as he does overstep
the car caught fire and the young boy was
the mark sometimes.”
killed, I always remember these sad cases.”
I asked David what was one of the most
common causes of accidental death? “I
suppose the most common cause is head
injuries, the head is so fragile, people
don’t understand how easy it is to die all
because you suffer a hard knock on your
head. I would not let my kids travel in
any car without an air bag and seat belts. Just
this month I have dealt with two teenagers
horrible thing to say, what a nasty woman.
because they were not wearing seat belts.”
Within six months of the appointment David
One thing David has learned from
received
some bad news that one of his elder
working in the funeral business is
brothers
had unfortunately committed suicide,
that you must live for today.
“About
six
weeks after I had received this
“I have heard many people say at funerals,
news
I
had
to
be in London for an important
what a shame, they had plans to do this, or
meeting,
however
I could not go because
buy that etc. I say, go and do it today, even
there
was
an
important
council meeting that
if you have to put it on a credit card because
day.
I
remember
sitting
round
the table for
you never know when your time is up. Also
hours
listening
to
everyone,
eventually
it
I try not fall out with people if I can possibly
was
my
turn
to
speak,
I
simply
raised
my
help it. Unfortunately people don’t think, for
hand and informed the committee that I
instance, if you’re in your mid 40’s your life’s
was going to resign. And that was the end
practically half over, it’s a sobering thought!”
of my political career, 9 months in total.
David moved to the island in 1990, and quickly
Whilst David was a councillor he
established himself. “I wrote a couple of letters
had
done a few radio interviews and
in the County Press and the next thing I knew
suddenly
developed a passion for it.
I was being asked if I would like t stand as
“Alex
Dyke
was off on holiday and I was
Councillor, this must have been around 1998!
asked
if
I
could
run his show for a week whilst
“I was on holiday at the time and I arrived back
he
was
away
and
take care of the notorious
with only two weeks to go before the elections.
phone-in.
I
laughed
and said of course I will,
I rushed round making and delivering leaflets
no
problem.
The
first
day I was terrified, I
with my kids, bearing in mind at this time I
had
thousands
of
people
listening to me and
was not even a member of the Conservative
I
had
to
keep
them
amused
with interesting
Party, to try and win the seat for Freshwater.
subjects.
I
spent
the
most
exhausting
hour of
“At the time Ron Smith was councillor who
my
life
trying
to
keep
this
phone-in
going.
No
by now was in his 70’s. As I was going round
one
else
wanted
to
do
this,
it’s
the
hardest
canvassing I quickly discovered that he was not
job in the world to do a radio phone-in.
as popular as I thought he was. On Election Day
“The funniest thing I remember was the first
I was shocked to hear that I had been elected.
year
I ran The Garlic Festival. The BBC weather
“I never knew anything about the system I
forecast
that weekend predicted rain on the
was really naive at the time. The first job I was
Sunday
and
I remember on the way to the field
given was Vice Chairman of Planning. At the
calling
the
radio
station and asking them to
time Shirley Smart quietly said to me “You’ll
change
the
weather!
Please say we were expecting
never chair a meeting”, and I thought what a
Mighty
Mouth of
Radio!
28
light breezes with sunny periods, they obliged
and we had a terrific turnout, the power of radio!”
From this David has become a regular
on Isle of Wight Radio and is now an
integral part of Alex and The Doc.
“I try to keep Alex under control because
sometimes he does overstep the mark, I’m
what you might call a restraining influence
over him. It’s been said in the past that
we gang up on people, we can’t get away
with this because nobody would call us,
so there would be no radio show.”
Throughout David’s long and varied career
he has had to gamble his house many times
in order to secure deals. “It’s something
that anyone like me has to do, I don’t enjoy
doing it but it has to be done I’m afraid.
“If you want to succeed in life you
have to constantly be sticking your
neck out, there’s no comfort zone.”
David, now in his mid 40’s has had to
slow down, “I used to get up every morning,
catch the ferry, drive to London and return
in the evening, 5 days a week, I can’t do
this anymore, it takes it out of me.”
“I am now 40 something (half way there)
I have my funeral business, Isle of Wight
Radio, The Garlic Festival, voluntary Director
of Wight Crystal and finally property
development. Hopefully new things will
crop up, and I’ll stay busy…who knows!
Island Life - www.isleofwight.net