Celeb Personal Number Plates: 'Diddy' David Hamilton's Car Reg

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Once again at the forefront, his was the first voice to be heard on prime-time radio Saga's digital station, and a year later, in 2001, his voice launched Saga 105.7 FM, the West Midlands regional station. By February 2003, he had transferred to Saga's East Midlands Station, 106.6 FM, where he presented an afternoon show.

With such an incredible career in broadcasting, I wondered if this had always been the big plan. “No, not at all,” chirps David, “as a boy, my burning ambition was to be a professional footballer. I had a trial for Wimbledon, but wasn't selected, meaning I wasn't good enough.” Yet his dreams of playing on some of the finest football grounds in the country were realised later in life, when he played football for the Showbiz XI football team. “I was a member of the team for over twenty years, and captained many of the matches. We've raised millions of pounds for charity. I'm now the team's Honorary President."

A lifelong supporter of Fulham Football Club, David has been their match-day MC (Master of Ceremonies) since 1997. His other main sporting passion has always been Speedway. He once competed in a race at Wembley Stadium and was a regular announcer there during the Seventies. "When I knew I wasn't going to be a football star, I decided I wanted to be Pete Murray,” says David, smiling, “I hired a reel to reel tape recorder and practiced reading newspapers in standard English. It helped to smooth out my accent and tidy up the rough edges. I went to a Surrey Grammar school and didn't have the sort of accent that was acceptable back then. "All the hard work paid off,” David says, “one of the greatest thrills of my career was meeting and interviewing Roy Orbison just before he died in 1988."

Of all the showbiz people who have passed away over the past fifty years, he misses Kenny Everett and Ronnie Barker the most. But it was the untimely death of his friend and fellow DJ Dave Eastwood, that David finds the hardest loss to bear. “Dave and I met in the RAF, when we were both seventeen. He came into radio late, joining Radio Luxemburg,” said David, “One day, I received a call from him to say that he was in hospital, in the leukaemia ward. We were both 49. I was in shock. Seeing him suffer made me stop smoking - I've never looked back.

"A year later, at his 50th birthday party, Dave gave a touching speech. He said it turned out that his being ill was a good thing, because it had stopped his good friend David smoking.” Soon after, in March 1989, Dave passed away. Although he was not a household name, he was well respected in the broadcasting industry. His last job was with Essex Radio.

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