Presenter Mike Hurley dies

Popular radio presenter and voice-over artist Mike Hurley has died. Mike suffered from a stroke at the young age of 59. He was best known for his programmes on BBC Radio Humberside and BBC Radio York, along with performing voice-overs for many radio commercials.

Known as 'the voice of Hovis' after being featured as an old Yorkshire man in a television commercial, there are very few radio stations he hasn't been heard on over the years.

Mike presented the Saturday morning show on BBC Radio Humberside for more than 10 years from the mid 1980s. In 2000 he took the same Saturday morning programme formula to BBC Radio York winning a new audience in a different part of the county. He was a presenter on the station for five years.

During his time at the BBC in Hull, Mike won a prestigious Sony Radio Award for his characterisation and alter ego "Bill Bore" - his impression of the quintessential thrifty Yorkshire man.

Mike had previously worked at Radio Aire in Leeds, where he was part of the original on-air line up which launched the station in 1981. But his main occupation was using his voice to best effect for radio and television commercials - a career which included long associations with the Daily Mirror and Hovis Bread.

Geoff Sargieson, former station manager of BBC Radio Humberside, said today: "The word unique is often lavished around but in Mike's case it's a fair description - he was one of the most talented and inventive presenters I have ever worked with. He will be sadly missed in the radio and advertising world."

Below is a video about the 'most famous voice-over in Britain' as shown in 1994.: