D'ye Ken John Peel? Quiz | Radio

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What was the full birth name of John Peel?

Answer: John Robert Parker Ravenscroft

Alan Watson and Francis Leslie Houghton were the forenames of John's two brothers. When John got married to Sheila Gilhooly in 1974, his father suggested that he changed his name to Gilhooly as it was "more distinguished" than Ravenscroft.

2. Which English football team did John Peel support?

Answer: Liverpool

Peel could be described as a Liverpool fanatic in the true sense of the word. His daughter, Florence, was given the middle name "Shankly" after the legendary Liverpool manager of the 1960s and 70s. James has the middle name "Dalglish" after a playing legend (and also a manager) and the eldest two children, William and Alexandria, both have the name of Liverpool's ground "Anfield" for a middle name.

Peel had an irrational hatred of Arsenal because of their victory over Liverpool in the 1950 FA Cup Final.

He admitted on air that he "looked out for" Ipswich's results as his children were fans.

3. Which public school did Peel attend?

Answer: Shrewsbury

John was not exactly what you would call a star pupil. A typical comment from his end of year reports is "He is a great disappointment. His improvement during the last month was only achieved under the direst of threats and was done at no great inconvenience to himself."

4. In 1974 Peel married Sheila Gilhooly. By what nickname was she affectionately known?

Answer: Pig

The nickname Pig was coined by John as Sheila snorted when she laughed.

John spotted Sheila at a recording of a TV show called "How It Is" in 1968 and sent a note to her to ask her to call him. When John picked her up for their first date, his first port of call afterwards was to his doctor's surgery where he was diagnosed as suffering from jaundice and told to go straight to bed. John asked Sheila to come back and look after him and from there their relationship developed.

5. Each of these four records was chosen by John Peel when he appeared on BBC Radio's "Desert Island Discs" in 1990. Which one, which he had long called his favourite, did he say he would take if he was only allowed one record?

Answer: "Teenage Kicks" - The Undertones

When asked to choose his one record from the seven he had chosen to take to his desert island, John replied "Well, a lot of them would make me moody and introspective and perhaps it would not be a good idea to have those with me."

"I'd have to take something which cheered me up which would leave either the 4 Brothers or the Undertones and I think because I've known the Undertones for so long and I've always claimed that it was my favourite record of all time I'd have to take Teenage Kicks."

6. On which Altered Images song did Peel provide whistling and backing vocals?

Answer: Song Sung Blue

"Song Sung Blue" was a cover of a song by Neil Diamond from Altered Image's album "Pinky Blue". They had first recorded the song in a session for "The John Peel Show" in which they had invited Peel to join in - he refused.

"Song Sung Blue" was not John's only appearance on vinyl. He also read a poem that was included on Tyrannosaurus Rex's (T. Rex) debut album "My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair...But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows".

7. What was the name of the autobiography that Peel was writing at the time of his death?

Answer: Margrave of The Marshes

Believe it or not, all these were alternative titles that Peel came up with but the title that was chosen was "Margrave of The Marshes". The book's title comes from the title that Peel would like to have had bestowed upon him were he ever to be ennobled.

8. The name John Peel was adopted when he came back to the UK and began work on which radio station?

Answer: Radio London

According to Peel, the name was gifted by the secretary at the station when station bosses were struggling to come up with an idea. The bosses considered that Ravenscroft was too long a name and wanted something with just one syllable.

9. What was the name of the first show that Peel presented when he joined Radio 1?

Answer: Top Gear

Peel's first show was on the second ever night of Radio One in October 1967. Initially he was one of a number of co-presenters including Mike Ahern, Tommy Vance and Rick Dane who took turns to present the show alongside Pete Drummond. By February 1968, however, Peel was the sole presenter. "Top Gear" continued until 1975 and was replaced by "The John Peel Show" which was in effect the same show.

"Night Ride" was a late night music and discussion show that Peel presented between 1968 and 1969. "The Perfumed Garden" was the name of Peel's first UK radio show, broadcast on Radio London.

10. Who was producer of John Peel's Radio One shows from 1969 until the early 1990s and was best man at his wedding in 1974?

Answer: John Walters

When John Walters, former jazz trumpeter and member of The Alan Price Set, replaced Bernie Andrews as producer of "Top Gear", Peel was less than happy. His diary recalls his initial feelings; "I greeted his appointment with the sort of enthusiasm that would have followed the news that King Herod had been chosen to supervise the creche."

This initial dislike however soon disappeared as the two worked together and Peel realised that Walters shared his love of WC Fields.

Source: Author Snowman

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor DakotaNorth before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

D'ye Ken John Peel? Trivia Quiz

The DJ John Peel was a huge figure in the life of many people from my generation. Here are a few questions about the great man's life.

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