Sally Boazman

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

Sally Boazman, known to many of her listeners as "Sally Traffic", is a British radio traffic reporter, best known for her work in the afternoons on the national BBC Radio 2, with more than eight million listeners.[1] Her reporting "revolutionised" United Kingdom traffic news with the addition of live reports from motorists on mobile phones and lorry drivers on CB radio.[2] Boazman's reporting is so up to date that the national Highways Agency uses her broadcast to update their own reports.[3] Boazman gave her last weekday traffic report for Radio 2 on Friday 9 August 2014 and now broadcasts at weekends.

Boazman was described as "bit of a superhero for motorists",[1] by Autotrader UK as the 'sexiest voice on the radio'[4] and by veteran broadcaster Steve Wright as a 'national treasure' who changed the way traffic reporting was done.[5] Her fans have named a thoroughbred race horse (which occasionally even won[6]), after her[7] as well as lorry trucks.[8]

Early career

Following a brief foray into acting, Boazman took a post in the current affairs department of London Weekend Television where she worked as a secretary for the future BBC Director General Greg Dyke.[9] After later working as a traffic news announcer for the Automobile Association she went on to present traffic reports for a number of local radio stations before moving to Classic FM.[9] Her first presenting role was for the British Forces Broadcasting Service after which she worked for the BBC World Service and commercial radio.[9] She spent some time away from broadcasting following the birth of her son, Harry, but returned later to become Chief Travel Reporter for BBC GLR.[9] She joined BBC Radio 2 as the network's first official traffic news presenter in 1998, presenting travel updates during the afternoon and early evening. She has worked alongside Johnnie Walker, Chris Evans and Simon Mayo on their respective Drivetime shows, Steve Wright during the afternoon and Jeremy Vine at lunchtime.

Books, records, and activities

In 2003, she narrated the poem Crawl of The Light Brigade for the CD recording Guide Cats for the Blind.[10] In 2007 she wrote the book The Sally Traffic Handbook and narrated a CD for the Highways Agency called Hear When the Going's Good, providing advice to lorry drivers.[11] TomTom navigation has a Sally Traffic voice available for its GPS units. Proceeds from purchase of the voice driving set go to the charity BBC Children in Need Appeal.[12]

From 10 to 19 November 2007, she cycled across 400 km of Kenya's Rift Valley to support charity Transaid.[13] In 2009 she presented the Gold level Sony Radio Academy Award for drivetime entertainment to her fellow broadcaster Chris Evans,[14] while in 2007 the Gold level Entertainment award honoured the Chris Evans Show and staff, of which Boazman was part.[15] She also won the Truck & Driver Driver's Choice award for Best Traffic Information in 2009.[16] On 29 October 2011 she presented The Road to Nowhere for BBC One in London and South East England, a documentary celebrating the 25th anniversary of the M25. The programme sees Boazman journeying around the motorway and examining its economic and environmental impact, as well as other ways it has changed Britain's society.[17]

Personal life and pastimes

She lives in Surrey with her son Harry, born 1987, who is a musician.[18] Truckfest has her as a regular participant, appearing in every event since 2002.[19] A self-professed Francophile, she occasionally takes the Channel Tunnel and subsequently drives from Calais to St-Omer.[20]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Sally_Boazman&oldid=1147487"