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On air now: Sunday 1am – 7am
Golden Classics
Golden classics
Presenter Ian Watkinson

Ian Watkinson

Ian Watkinson has been with Epsom Hospital Radio since 2022.

Ian Watkinson does a show on Epsom Hospital Radio every Monday from 6-8pm.

Tune into Ian’s show for the Genre Roulette Wheel, request a genre, we write it on the wheel, spin the wheel and that's the genre!

Questions and Answers: 

What's your favourite genre of music?
The one that has come up on the Wheel of Genre Roulette for my show, I only don’t like trap and grime!

When you're not at Epsom Hospital Radio, what are you doing?
Sleeping! Eating, Epsom Hospital Radio – Repeat!

If you had £1,000,000 to spend on yourself and no-one else what would you spend it on?
A typewriter, loads of paper, thesaurus, dictionary isolated cottage in the highlands and supplies for 2 years so I could write my “masterpiece!”

What is your ideal holiday destination?
Maldives, loads of Sun Sand and Scuba!

What is your favourite film?
I don’t really have a favourite, but I could probably watch the Matrix on repeat for ages if I only had one movie to watch forever.

What is your favourite TV programme?
Lots, but probably Spaced.

Who is your favourite comedian?
Brad Williams with Billy Connolly a close second!

Who is your favourite sports team/star?
Maple Leafs – Go leafs – Wayne Gretzky!

What is your favourite drink?
If you like Pina Coladas…and walks in the rain!

What is your favourite food?
Seafood Platter!

What inspires you?
Enthusiasm. I’ve done a reasonable amount of youth work previously and seeing something click in a child’s face as they learn something new and then they immediately sets out to try and show others how to do it and what they have learned, that sort of enthusiasm inspires me!

Middle name?
Bond….oh wait…

Star sign?
Scorpio

Weird & wonderful talents?
I can start a fire with a Lemon.
I can make a spoon with a stick.

Most treasured belongings?
Probably my music collection!

Favourite smell?
Rain.

What was the Number 1 single on the day you were born?
Slade Cos I Luv You
Amusing, because I don’t think I’ve ever heard it, (need to go and have a listen now, but it was pushed off number one, by  ERNIE (THE FASTEST MILKMAN IN THE WEST) which I have heard and is probably the best song by a comedian ever – Can you think of a better one?

What record drives you mad when you hear it?
Anything Trap or Drill – But probably - “Trap Queen” – Fetty Wap as it’s the most popular one.

What is your favourite album?
Close run thing, I’m tempted to say Guns N’ Roses - Use Your Illusion II, as it has some great tracks on it, but it’s probably queens greatest hits from October 1981.

If I can’t have a greatest hits, the probably Bryan Adams – Reckless. One of the few perfect albums with no bad tracks on it!

Have you met anyone famous and if so, under what circumstances?
I’ve met quite a few famous people, but I think the most amusing one was when Norman Wisdom approached me in a crowded Epsom shop and said very loudly, Ian can I have your autograph, confusing lots of people around me, especially when he just grinned at me and left with no explanation!

The back story was that I’d met him earlier in the day and he’d kindly given me his autograph. I’d then found a book of his and cheekily asked if he’d upgrade my autograph to his book, which he agreed to. I think we then had the same schedule of shops for the next 5 stops as we kept bumping into each other, given each other a nod and a smile. It wasn’t until the 6th stop in the most crowded shop did he play his prank!

Who is your favourite radio presenter?
I’m assuming I’m not allowed to say me?
It would have to be Richard Anthony Crispian Francis Prew Hope-Weston (and yes that’s a real answer) knew his stuff had a clear passion for the music he was playing and really cared for his listeners when they phoned in.

Apart from your current partner, who would be your ideal dinner date and why?
Assuming anyone from Time, Harriet Tubman, Slave Spy and rescuer! What amazing stories she’d have to tell.
Assuming Living, then Ryan Reynolds, as I’m sure he’d have some interesting tales to tell too!

If you were marooned on a desert island, what would be the items you'd need most?
Having done a lot of bushcraft, I’m tempted to answer this as the five things you’d need most so survive, so: knife, pan, tarpaulin, ferrocium rod, fishing hooks.
But assuming it had lots of fruit and water etc, then lots of books, a sun shade and some way to listen to Epsom Hospital Radio of course!