John Peel

I learned that John Peel died today. I'm not usually moved when public figures like him pass away, but when I heard it on Radio 4 in my room, I shouted out "Oh no!" and was genuinely upset. I will miss him primarily from Home Truths on Saturday mornings. To me, he seems like the nicest guy in the world, and I'll always associate him with my rugby coach Neil Crossley from the Oxford University under-21s, and vice versa. I think they looked alike and both had a connection with Liverpool (Neil studied Medicine there). Without a doubt, John Peel would be on the guest list at my fantasy dinner party - no matter how short that list would be. I occasionally liked listening to his music shows on Radio 1 and the World Service, even if they were hard work at times. I loved those moments when he realized he had put on the German hard-core techno track at the wrong speed - which was almost every time I listened to him. If I had ever met him, I would have wanted to hug him.