Alan Dedicoat
| Alan Dedicoat | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 December 1954 Hollywood, Worcestershire, England |
| Other names | Deadly, Voice of the Balls |
| Occupation | Announcer |
| Years active | 1979-present |
| Website | |
| Official Website | |
Alan Dedicoat (born 1 December 1954) is an announcer and on various programmes on BBC One and BBC Radio 2; he is probably best known as the "Voice of the Balls" on the National Lottery programmes on BBC One. He also reads the news on BBC Radio 2 where he is nicknamed Deadly.
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[edit] Early Life
He was born on 1 December 1954 in Hollywood, Worcestershire. The son of a newsagent, Dedicoat was educated at King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys in Birmingham, and the University of Birmingham. Dedicoat originally worked in the Civil Service as an Executive Officer before joining the BBC
[edit] Career
Dedicoat joined the BBC in 1979 as part of BBC Radio Birmingham at Pebble Mill as a presenter, before moving to BBC Radio Devon four years later. After four years in the West Country, Alan moved to London to join the Presentation Department of BBC Radio 2 at Broadcasting House, and later became its head, a position he holds to this day. As part of this, he read the news on BBC Radio 2's weekday breakfast programme, Wake Up to Wogan, before its demise in December 2009, as well as on Sarah Kennedy's show before she left the station in 2010.
It was as part of Wake up to Wogan that Dedicoat acquired the nicknames "Voice of the Balls" and "Deadly" from Terry Wogan, the latter by way of a deliberate Spoonerism - "Deadly Alancoat".
On television, as well as being the "Voice of the Balls" on the National Lottery programmes on BBC One, he also takes part in the BBC's telethons such as Children in Need, announcing the totals at certain intervals and also voicing previews. In addition, he is the voice-over on Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One.
Since 2005, Dedicoat has been the voice-over for Dancing with the Stars, the American version of Strictly Come Dancing.[1]
Dedicoat also works as an After Dinner Speaker.[2]
[edit] Personal life
He is the co-owner of a Routemaster (one of London's famous red buses) with Charles Nove, Ken Bruce, Steve Madden and David Sheppard.[3]
He is also the President of Hospital Radio Bedside, a hospital radio station that broadcasts to hospitals in Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and Wimborne in the UK.[4]
Dedicoat lives in Wealdstone.
