Happy Birthday, Bill!

One half of Black Diamond’s Seniors’ Hour presenting team, Bill Prentice, celebrated his 90th birthday last weekend. Bill, who presents the station’s programme “by the elderly, for the elderly” alongside Ted Comerford (87) every Sunday afternoon, is believed to be among the oldest broadcasters in the country.

Born in Haddington on February 16th 1923, Bill worked in the printing industry in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Slough before settling in Bonnyrigg in 1984. Since then, he has been heavily involved in the voluntary sector in the town, and is currently chairman of both Bonnyrigg Seniors Social Club and the local branch of the Scottish Pensions Association, as well as secretary of the Bonnyrigg and Lasswade Seniors Forum and a board member at Midlothian Voluntary Action.

Bill and Ted, who have been on air since 2007, have previously been compared to Beryl Renwick (86) and Betty Smith (91), who last year won a Sony award for their appearances on BBC Radio Humberside. But with the Hull duo having retired from radio at the end of last year, it’s possible that Midlothian’s very own nonagenarian broadcaster is the oldest in the UK - which surely calls for a double celebration.

Tune in on Sundays between 5 and 6 to hear him giving us young ones a run for our money.

From all at Black Diamond - happy birthday, Bill!