Few voices in British radio have managed to stay on the air for nearly five decades, but Mike Read is one of them. From his early days on BBC Radio 1 to his current role steering the Heritage Chart, Read has bridged generations of music fans. This article traces his journey through radio, television, and his latest projects — and clarifies the facts you actually want to know.

Born: 1 March 1947 · Birthplace: Manchester, England · Occupation: Radio DJ, TV presenter, writer, journalist · Known for: Radio 1, Top of the Pops, Heritage Chart Radio · Age (2025): 78

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact net worth not publicly confirmed
  • Number of children not widely reported
  • Current marriage status not fully known
3Timeline signal
4What’s next

Six facts that define Mike Read, from his full name to his current day job:

Attribute Detail
Full Name Michael David Kenneth Read
Date of Birth 1 March 1947
Place of Birth Manchester, England
Occupation Radio DJ, TV presenter, writer, journalist
Known for BBC Radio 1, Top of the Pops, Heritage Chart Radio
Current Role Chairman, British Plaque Trust; Presenter, Heritage Chart Radio

What is Mike Read doing now?

Mike Read hasn’t retired. He’s busier than ever, with multiple projects running in 2025. He still wakes up early to host a daily breakfast show on the Nation Radio network, broadcasting from 7am to 10am Monday to Friday according to the Heritage Chart’s own team page (Heritage Chart (official team profiles)).

Heritage Chart Radio and current media projects

  • Heritage Chart Radio — weekly countdown of new music from established artists. Broadcast on Nation Radio and Talking Pictures TV (AOL (article reporting on 2026 developments)).
  • Simultaneously aired breakfast show on Regency Radio in Brighton starting April 2024 (Brighton and Hove News (local newspaper)).
  • The Heritage Chart show on Talking Pictures TV, featuring heritage artists (pilot with Limahl) (Herald Scotland (Scottish news)).

Chairman of the British Plaque Trust

  • Serves as chairman, erecting plaques commemorating notable people and events (X (Mike Read official account)).

This role appears in his social media bio and is listed alongside his broadcasting work.

Footage Detectives and recent TV work

  • Co-presents “The Footage Detectives” on Talking Pictures TV, exploring archival footage (X (Mike Read official account)).
  • Working on a new book about Cheapside, London (per X bio).
The upshot

Read has positioned himself as a custodian of pop culture heritage — the Heritage Chart, the Plaque Trust, and Footage Detectives all serve to preserve and celebrate older material, not just for nostalgia but as a genuine alternative to modern charts that ignore veteran artists.

The pattern: Read’s current projects all point to one goal — giving older music and forgotten stories a second act, a strategy that keeps him relevant in a fragmented media landscape.

What is Mike Read famous for?

Read’s fame rests on his long tenure at BBC Radio 1 and his regular appearances on Top of the Pops during the 1980s and 1990s. He became a household name playing the hits and interviewing stars.

Top of the Pops and BBC Radio 1 career

  • Joined BBC Radio 1 in 1978 (Brighton and Hove News (local newspaper)).
  • Became a regular presenter on Top of the Pops, the BBC’s flagship chart show (Wikipedia (biographical entry)).
  • Also hosted Saturday Superstore and Pop Quiz (Wikipedia (biographical entry)).
  • Earlier radio work included Radio Luxembourg and Thames Valley Radio Station (Heritage Chart (official team profiles)).

Mike Read’s songs and music

  • Most notable single: “The Dick Barton Theme” (1979), which reached the UK Singles Chart (Wikipedia (biographical entry)).
  • Other singles in the 1970s and 80s, including “If I Could Be With You” (1980) (Wikipedia (biographical entry)).

Today his Heritage Chart show promotes new music from established artists, bringing that part of his career full circle.

TV shows with Mike Read

  • Top of the Pops (Wikipedia (biographical entry))
  • Saturday Superstore (Wikipedia (biographical entry))
  • Pop Quiz (Wikipedia (biographical entry))
  • My Kind of Music (ITV) (Wikipedia (biographical entry))
  • The Footage Detectives (Talking Pictures TV) (X (Mike Read official account))
The catch

While Read is famous for his Radio 1 days, his current projects — Heritage Chart and Footage Detectives — reach smaller audiences. The trade-off of focusing on heritage content is a narrower, more dedicated listenership rather than mass-market radio.

The pattern: his television fame supplied the face recognition that now helps him draw viewers to niche heritage programming.

How old is Mike Read?

Mike Read was born on 1 March 1947, making him 78 years old as of 2025 (Wikipedia (biographical entry)).

Mike Read age and birth details

  • Full date of birth: 1 March 1947 (Wikipedia (biographical entry))
  • Place: Manchester, England (some sources mention Bury, Lancashire) (Heritage Chart (official team profiles))
  • Age in 2025: 78

Mike Read early life

  • Grew up in Surrey after moving from Manchester (Heritage Chart (official team profiles)).
  • Started career playing guitar in pubs, then hospital radio and professional broadcasting (Heritage Chart (official team profiles)).
Bottom line: At 78, Read remains active in radio and TV, proving that heritage-focused media can sustain a broadcaster’s late career. For nostalgia-driven listeners, his shows offer the only place where older artists get new airtime.

The pattern: The same longevity that made him a household name now lends credibility to his heritage projects.

Does Mike Read have children?

Public records are sparse on Read’s family details. He was previously married to a woman named Shirley Read (Wikipedia (biographical entry)). The number of children and their names are not widely reported. What is known: he does have children, but he has kept that aspect of his life largely private.

Family life and children

  • Married to Shirley Read; marriage ended in divorce (Wikipedia (biographical entry)).
  • Number of children not publicly specified.

Marriages and relationships

  • Current marital status not publicly confirmed.

The takeaway: Read’s private life remains just that — private, even after decades in the public eye.

Where does Mike Read live?

Mike Read resides in the United Kingdom. He spent much of his career based in London, where the BBC’s studios were located. Current specific location is not publicly disclosed.

Current residence

  • Given his Brighton radio work (Regency Radio) and Talking Pictures TV appearances (London), he likely divides time between southern England locations.

The implication: his base is the UK, but mobility between Brighton and London suggests a dual-location lifestyle.

What are Mike Read’s most famous songs?

Read’s most notable single is “The Dick Barton Theme”, released in 1979. It reached the UK Singles Chart (Wikipedia (biographical entry)).

Singles and chart performances

  • “The Dick Barton Theme” (1979) — highest-charting single (Wikipedia (biographical entry))
  • “If I Could Be With You” (1980) — minor release (Wikipedia (biographical entry))
  • Other minor releases in the 1970s and 80s

The pattern: though his own chart success was modest, his Heritage Chart gives other heritage artists the airplay he once enjoyed.

Mike Read timeline

  • 1947 — Born in Manchester on 1 March (Wikipedia (biographical entry)).
  • 1970s — Began radio career; joined BBC Radio 1 in 1978 (Brighton and Hove News (local newspaper)).
  • 1979 — Released single “The Dick Barton Theme” (Wikipedia (biographical entry)).
  • 1980s-1990s — Regular presenter on Top of the Pops; hosted My Kind of Music (Wikipedia (biographical entry)).
  • 2010s — Launched Heritage Chart Radio (Heritage Chart (official team profiles)).
  • 2020 — Heritage Chart officially launched (Herald Scotland (Scottish news)).
  • 2024 — Took over breakfast show on Regency Radio (Brighton and Hove News (local newspaper)).
  • 2025 — Continues breakfast show, Footage Detectives, and chairmanship of British Plaque Trust (X (Mike Read official account)).

The timeline shows a broadcaster who has repeatedly repositioned himself rather than retiring.

What we know for sure — and what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Born 1 March 1947 in Manchester (Wikipedia (biographical entry))
  • BBC Radio 1 DJ from 1978 (Brighton and Hove News (local newspaper))
  • Presented Top of the Pops (Wikipedia (biographical entry))
  • Current chairman of British Plaque Trust (X (Mike Read official account))
  • Runs Heritage Chart Radio (Heritage Chart (official site))
  • Co-presents Footage Detectives (X (Mike Read official account))

What’s unclear

  • Exact net worth
  • Number and names of children
  • Current marital status
  • Precise current residence
  • Details of early 2000s projects
  • Whether the Heritage Chart TV pilot will expand beyond local TV stations

The pattern: even with the unclear items, Read’s public career is unusually well documented.

What others say about Mike Read

“Michael David Kenneth Read… is an English radio disc jockey, writer, journalist and television presenter.”

— Wikipedia (Wikipedia (biographical entry))

“Footage Detectives. TPTV. Heritage Chart Radio. Chairman British Plaque Trust.”

— Mike Read’s X bio (X (Mike Read official account))

Read’s own bio frames him as both a broadcaster and a preservationist — a shift reflected across his current roles.

Summary: What does Mike Read’s career tell us?

Mike Read has spent nearly five decades in British entertainment, from Radio 1 pop to heritage preservation. Unlike many of his peers who faded from view, he has reinvented himself as a curator of older music and an advocate for historical commemoration. For radio listeners nostalgic for a less commercial format, the Heritage Chart is a genuine alternative. For fans of Read himself, his ongoing projects prove that longevity in media requires adaptation — but not abandonment of what made you famous in the first place.

Additional sources

heritagechart.co.uk, popworld.tv, marlowfm.co.uk, thelatest.co.uk, malpope.com

Frequently asked questions

What is Mike Read doing now in 2025?

He hosts a breakfast show on Heritage Chart Radio, co-presents Footage Detectives on Talking Pictures TV, chairs the British Plaque Trust, and manages the Heritage Chart.

What was Mike Read’s role on Top of the Pops?

He was a regular television presenter on the show from the 1980s through the 1990s, introducing chart hits and interviewing artists.

How did Mike Read start his career?

He began by singing and playing guitar in pubs, then moved into hospital radio and professional broadcasting at Radio Luxembourg and Thames Valley Radio before joining BBC Radio 1.

Does Mike Read have a wife?

He was previously married to Shirley Read; his current marital status is not publicly known.

What is the Heritage Chart Radio?

A weekly radio show and chart countdown featuring new music from established ‘heritage’ artists, broadcast on Nation Radio and Talking Pictures TV.

Is Mike Read still on radio?

Yes, he broadcasts a daily breakfast show on Heritage Chart Radio (7-10am) and a weekly Heritage Chart show.

What TV shows has Mike Read presented?

Top of the Pops, Saturday Superstore, Pop Quiz, My Kind of Music, and currently The Footage Detectives on Talking Pictures TV.

Is Mike Read related to Mike Reid?

No. Mike Read is the radio DJ and TV presenter; Mike Reid was a comedian and actor (died 2007). They are often confused but not related.

The questions that surface around Read mostly concern his current work, his family privacy, and the frequent mix-up with Mike Reid.