Iain Lee

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Iain Lee bigraphy, stories - Comedians

Iain Lee : biography

9 June 1973 –

Iain Lee The 11 O’Clock Show RI:SE Iain Lee’s 2 Hour Long Late Night Radio Show

Film

Film credits

  • Beyond Borders (directed by Martin Campbell)
  • Radio Mania (directed by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard)

Radio career

1999–2001: Xfm London

Lee began his radio career as a presenter on Xfm London from 1999 to 2001.

2005–2007: LBC 97.3

Lee was a presenter on London talk radio station LBC 97.3 from January 2005 to November 2007. Lee filled in for Clive Bull for two weeks in late 2004, until he presented on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights from 10pm-1am.

In October 2005, Lee moved from weekends to the drivetime slot from 4pm-7pm. Lee titled the show The 3 Hour 4 ‘Till 7 Iain Lee Afternoon Wireless Show.. In January 2006, Lee moved again to 3pm-6:30pm, with the show being renamed to The 3 and a Half Hour 3 ‘Till 6.30 Iain Lee Afternoon Wireless Show.

From January 2007 to his resignation in November, Lee presented the evening slot from 7pm-10pm preceding Bull in the newly titled show, "Iain Lee’s Good Evening". Lee chose the name after seeking advice from his friend and fellow comedian Mackenzie Crook. The afternoon show was taken over by then weekend breakfast show host Paul Ross.

A change of radio station management (when Global Radio purchased LBC) in mid-2007 led to the demise of the Sunday Night Triple M show altogether, with the last show on 16 September 2007. Lee’s style of presenting fell out of favour with the new management, with returning topical and news-led conversation. Without notice, Iain Lee’s Good Evening came to an end on 2 November 2007, with the last ten minutes being given to Triple M.

For just over two years (9 September 2005 to 16 September 2007) Lee hosted "Triple M", a feature where calls go straight to air, live and unscreened. Other talk radio presenters have also hosted similar features, including Nick Abbot, Tommy Boyd and Clive Bull. Initially, Lee would host the feature every Friday evening during the last half hour of the show. Originally called "Mental Mayhem", it was renamed to "Mick’s Mental Mayhem" (after a caller named Mick), then simply "Triple M". The rising popularity of the format, along with a change in show times in May 2006 led to Lee present a whole three-hour show on Sunday evenings from 10pm-1am to Triple M, being called "Sunday Night Triple M", from 7 May 2006 to 16 September 2007. At the time, management favoured the unique format as they hoped that it would introduce exclusive listeners to the radio station.

2008–2011: Absolute Radio

Iain was rehired by his old LBC boss David Lloyd at Absolute Radio where he presented The Sunday Night Show from 10:00 pm – 1:00 am, with a mixture of music and phone-in’s. From 12 October 2009, Lee’s show broadcasts Monday to Thursday from 11:00pm – 1:00am, taking over the slot from Ben Jones. In April 2009 he became the first radio DJ in the UK to wrestle a listener (Matt "The Pain" Early). Absolute Radio announced on 17 October 2011 that Iains contract would not be renewed and had mutually agreed that it be terminated with immediate effect.

2012: The Iain Lee Pocket Radio Show

In February 2012, Iain launched ‘The Iain Lee Pocket Radio Show’ which was a podcast available free through various outlets, that was similar in style to Iain’s previous radio shows but utilised the various social media platforms. The bulk of the podcast is made up of a phone in section, whereby Iain would invite people to call him either by telephone or though Skype at a specific time, to discuss one of three topics that Iain would post on Twitter. Listeners were also invited to interact with the show by sending AudioBoo’s, to be included in the recording.

The podcast also included Iain interviewing guests and celebrity news with the Daily Expresses Elisa Roche.

2012-: BBC Three Counties Radio