Lynn Parsons

Lynn Parsons
Born	1964 Clapham, London, United Kingdom
Station(s)	Smooth Radio (2007-present)
Station(s)	BBC Radio 2 (1998-present) Virgin Radio (1996-1998) BBC Radio 1 (1991-1996) Capital Radio (1987-?)
Style	Presenter
Country	United Kingdom
Website	http://www.lynnparsons.net/

Lynn Margaret Parsons (born 1964, Clapham, London) is a British disc jockey and currently presents Weekends 10am - 2pm on UK radio station Smooth Radio and various shows for BBC Radio 2.

Career

Parsons has an OND in electronic principles and started her career working in the television industry as a sound engineer and then a vision mixer. Her broadcasting career began in the early 1980s, as a presenter on hospital radio and later working for Guildford-based commercial radio station County Sound (later known as The Eagle).

Parsons moved to Capital Radio in 1987, presenting a three hour show (1-4am) five nights a week.

1991 saw Parsons move to BBC Radio 1 presenting the Overnight slot on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 2-4am. In October 1993, Parsons went on to present the Weekday Overnight slot from 12-4am, taking over from Bob Harris.

In 1995, Parsons moved to the weekend early morning show 4-7am where she remained until she left Radio 1 in 1996.

She then went on to present shows for BBC World Service and a singing series for BBC Radio 3.

In late 1996, Parsons joined Virgin Radio, presenting the Weekend Evening show between 6 and 10pm, later moving to Weekend Breakfast.

In 1998, Parsons joined BBC Radio 2, taking over the Friday and Saturday Overnight slot (12-3am and 1-4am respectively), where she remained until 2003. In 1999 she spent several months presenting Richard Allinson's weekday evening show while Allinson stood in for Johnnie Walker who had been suspended from the network following allegations concerning his private life. After leaving to have a baby, Parsons still continued to deputise for many presenters on the network such as Richard Allinson and Sarah Kennedy until 2006.

In August 2005, Parsons was briefly heard presenting a regular show on BBC Radio Berkshire on Sunday mornings from 10am-1pm and in addition to that, launched The Chalet Show, a mix music and talk podcast "from the chalet at the bottom of Lynn’s garden in the UK." In April 2006, she launched a second podcast, The Red Light Zone, with a similar format to her original show.

Planet Parsons is a daily-ish bite-sized podcast that started in April 2007 and gives a glimpse into the light and dark corners of Lynn's life.

She joined 102.2 Smooth Radio in London following its launch in March 2007. During her first few weeks there, she presented the evening 8pm-midnight slot from Friday to Sunday. However, from 5 May 2007 to 13 January 2008, she swapped shows with Mike Allen to present the Saturday lunchtime 10am-1pm (Later 10am-2pm) and Sunday afternoon (1pm-5pm) shows. She was still to be heard on Friday evenings though.

On 14 January 2008, following the unexpected death of Kevin Greening, Parsons took over the weekday afternoon show (1-4pm) and Saturday afternoon show (2-5pm) on London's 102.2 Smooth Radio. In 2009 she became a weekend presenter again and from August 2009 hosted shows on Saturday and Sunday mornings between 10am and 1pm.

In 2008 she provided occasional cover on BBC Radio Berkshire. She also made a return to Radio 2 in August to October 2009 when she stood in for Emma Forbes, Zoe Ball and Claudia Winkleman. She stood in for Alex Lester for two weeks from Monday 30 November to Friday 11 December. She presented shows on BBC Radio 2 over Christmas 2009, and had her own early early Sunday morning show on the network from January to April 2010. She continues on the station as a stand in presenter, covering for Janice Long in this respect for a week in August 2010. She also stood in for Sarah Kennedy after Kennedy was absent from her Dawn Patrol programme. It was announced on 3 September that Kennedy would not be returning to the network and that Parsons would continue to present the show until a shake up of the Radio 2 schedule in October. From October 2010 Parsons became the breakfast show presenter on the new national DAB broadcast Smooth Radio (not all shows available in Scotland where a different schedule is broadcast), a role which was taken over by Simon Bates when Bates joined the network in January 2011. Parsons then returned to the weekend mid-morning show.

Throughout 2011 whilst presenting regularly on Smooth Radio, Parsons continued to stand in for holidaying presenters on BBC Radio 2. In January 2012 it was announced she would provide cover for the 6-8am Saturday breakfast slot after Zoë Ball announced her decision to leave the show, and until another regular presenter was appointed.

Personal life

Her hobbies and interests include Feng Shui, science, the paranormal, English literature, antiques and swimming. She is a regular participant in the 26 mile moonlight walkathon.

External links

• Official website
• Lynn Parsons on Smooth Radio
• Lynn Parsons' Agent Presenter & Voice Over

Media offices
Preceded by N/A	Smooth Radio weekday breakfast show presenter 2010	Succeeded by Simon Bates