Jim Pope
Biography
Over 25 years service as announcer of University Challenge probably does justice for this long-standing Granada TV announcer who began his career in radio before switching to television (thanks to a little advice from Pat Pheonix, see Trivia) as an announcer for HTV West in the late 60s and early 70s.
He then switched to Granada and worked alongside the likes of Colin Weston and Charles Foster until he retired from the company in the mid-90s. Jim continued with voice-over work (and University Challenge) until his death in November 2001.
Trivia
On the night Coronation Street actress Pat Pheonix died, Jim delievered this tribute at closedown on Granada:
We all have our own thoughts and memories. Mine go back to 21 years infact to a day in a radio studio. I was doing something and a very famous and kind and generous actress took me on one side and told me she thought I got a good voice and that I'd ought to do something with it. Well, I did. What I didn't do ever was really to probably thank her for it.....and now, it's too late. Goodnight.
