Long-lost Chris Rea interview unearthed as singer talks Boro love

A long-lost interview with Middlesbrough legend Chris Rea has been unearthed - much to fans' delight.

The two-hour interview was originally broadcast on Century Radio’s ‘Goffy in the Morning’ back in September 2000, and saw the huge Boro^[1] fan talk about his upbringing in Middlesbrough^[2], his love for Ayresome Park, his family life, and reasons for rarely playing at Middlesbrough Town Hall.

Paul ‘Goffy’ Gough, who now presents on BBC^[3] Radio Tees, recently issued an appeal for lost audio^[4] of his previous celebrity interviews so he could replay them on his shows. Hartlepool man John Cooke later got in touch to say he'd kept the recording after all these years because he loved "how comfortable" the singer sounded that day.

The interview, which was unearthed in Hartlepool^[6], was a rare opportunity to hear the 'The Road to Hell' hitmaker reflecting on all things Teesside and to hear more from his personal life.

Goffy said he "remembered the day so well" that Chris had agreed to stay on the air for the duration. He explained: "He had travelled the day before to be back in the area to be with us on Century Radio – it was clear to see that the connections with listeners took him to some great personal times.

"He was candid throughout and very honest with the many questions that were fired his way, He loved all the local talk that was ongoing and that was reflected with so very many listener calls.

“I remember being surprised when I played his first hit on the show ‘Fool if you think it’s over’ and he spoke of how he hated performing the song. When we put the new show together it lasted 70 mins and included many of his memorable hits. The soundtrack featured ‘Loving you again’ ‘Road to Hell’ ‘I can hear your heartbeat’ “On the Beach’ ‘Josephine and many more."

Chris Rea fan kept audio for over two decades

John, from Hartlepool, contacted the BBC Radio Tees'Goffy at the Weekend' show to say that he had kept the audio from the original Century Radio broadcast as he had been a lifelong Chris Rea fan.

John said: “Chris was at his very best that morning and he just sounded really happy to be having a laugh on the radio, despite even at that time highlighting his ongoing health issues.. The show included many callers to the programme and lots of iconic venues were discussed so it was a memorable listen. I have replayed in many times since and shared it around”

Goffy then got to work with Hartlepool-based friend Stu White – who is a radio DJ himself and also presents his own shows on TX1 based in Doncaster and Rotherham Radio.

Goffy commented: “‘Stu is a great radio presenter and a very experienced producer so we got together and spent hours getting the audio ready for broadcast in 2023. He worked tirelessly in cleaning up the audio which had been recorded from an FM radio by John.”

Stu said:” The trick was to make the audio appropriate to the audience today and as Goffy talked lots about Chris’s upbringing and times before his breakthrough in the late 70s we had lots of options. It really was a great project to work on.”

Goffy added: “It was a combined Hartlepool effort to get the Chris Rea Special to air - firstly John for getting in touch to say he recorded it, then Stu White for playing a major role in getting it ready to go to air.

“I was delighted to repay John for his part when we recently met at a Graham Gouldman show in the North East. He was performing the many songs he was written for his band 10cc and for lots of others.

"Graham is another of John’s musical heroes so it was brilliant to take him backstage to chat with Graham and have a memorable photograph with him – it felt like the right thing to do. John was buzzing when we went backstage and it put a great full stop on the chance project that started with me instigating a search for my old show audio on air.

"I am so very grateful to both John and Stu for making the programme so very unique and memorable."

The interview has gone on to received worldwide acclaim from fans, with messages pouring in from listeners to say "how great it was to hear the lengthy conversation and many saying how wonderfully local it was too.

Other audio featuring Meatloaf, AC/DCs Brian Johnson, Freddie Starr, Noddy Holder, Lionel Richie and Ant and Dec - all in a similar setting on Goffy’s shows - have all arrived since the appeal went out to listeners.

The Chris Rea Special on Goffy at the Weekend is playing here^[7].

References

1. ^{^} Boro (www.gazettelive.co.uk)
2. ^{^} Middlesbrough (www.gazettelive.co.uk)
3. ^{^} BBC (www.gazettelive.co.uk)
4. ^{^} issued an appeal for lost audio (www.gazettelive.co.uk)
5. ^{^} 85 brilliant pictures as Ali Brownlee 5K and 2K sees hundreds flock for Riverside Stadium race (www.gazettelive.co.uk)
6. ^{^} Hartlepool (www.gazettelive.co.uk)
7. ^{^} here (www.bbc.co.uk)