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Robin Bradford
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The bearded wonder of the microphone...
Robin Bradford's voice is familiar to petrol-heads on both sides of the Atlantic - in the UK, he is a long-established commentator, interviewer and MC, in both circuit racing and rallying.
In the Caribbean, he has become 'the voice of motor sport' in Barbados.
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For 10 years, he was principal commentator of the RAC Rally, Britain's round of the World Rally Championship - a job to which he returned at Wales Rally GB 2005 after an eight-year break - and was instrumental in the creation of special event radio stations for motor sport in the late 1980s. New then, the concept of broadcasting on AM or FM frequencies at venues where either weak PA systems or simply the noise of competition cars made it difficult for spectators to hear commentary is now commonplace on racetrack and rally stage: among the earliest events to benefit were the Willhire 24 Hours circuit race and Rallye Sunseeker, opening round of the MSA National Gravel Rally Championship, an event Bradford has now worked for nearly two decades.
His television work has included Sky Sport's highly-regarded World Motorsports programme, for which he voiced races from categories ranging from Caterham Sevens to Formula Nippon in its first three seasons on air; live Grand Prix commentary on ESPN followed, along with programmes for Paris-based Motors TV and, more recently, a return to Sky Sports, voicing events from Barbados.
He has worked in the Caribbean since 2000; while he has commentated on circuit racing in Guyana and rallying in Jamaica, his main focus is Barbados, where he is the resident commentator at the Bushy Park racetrack and works in a number of roles, including PR & marketing, with the Barbados Rally Club, about which he wrote 0 to 50: The Barbados Rally Club 1957 - 2007, the story of the Club's first 50 years.
Originally trained as a journalist, Bradford is also one of Britain's most experienced motor sport editors. Since 1974, he has edited - and, in many cases, designed - nearly 500 raceday programmes for meetings at all the country's leading circuits, including those for
13 British or European Grands Prix, and worked for the MSA, Britain's governing body, and all the country's major organising clubs. He has also applied his media expertise in the equestrian world, working with the governing bodies of both eventing and show-jumping in the UK.
In 1983, he shared with the RAC MSA's Ann Bradshaw and John Webb of Brands Hatch the International Racing Press Association's 'IRPA Orange' award for organising the best Grand Prix press facilities in the world for the third consecutive year. In 1990, he was awarded the British Racing & Sports Car Club's Bert Lamkin Salver for the greatest contribution to the club's image and promotion, recognising in particular his years of work as press officer of the club's two major promotions, the Racing Car Show and the Willhire 24 Hours.
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