Wally Whyton

Wally Whyton (1929-1997) was a British musician, songwriter and radio personality, who initially came to fame as a skiffle musician with the Vipers Skiffle Group in the 1950s. He went on to present the children's programmes Small Time, Lucky Dip, Tuesday Rendezvous, Five O'Clock Club, Ollie and Fred's Five O'Clock Club and Five O'Clock Funfair for Associated-Rediffusion and Rediffusion London, appearing with the puppet characters Pussy Cat Willum, Ollie Beak and Fred Barker (the latter two of which he created himself) and often with Muriel Young and Bert Weedon. Subsequently, many will remember him as the host of Granada TV's 'Time For A Laugh', a teatime collection of cartoon capers. From the 1960s to the 1990s he was a presenter on BBC Radio 2, mainly fronting folk and country music programmes. One of these was called "Country Club" and on once a week in the evening. He always finished it by saying in his very recognisable way: "Goodnight".