Fantasy Radio UK

10/09/2025

...and he's BACK! Mike Mahoney returns for Wednesday's Packed Lunch from 12 'til 2 here on Fantasy Radio, with birthday shout outs to Chrissie Hynde, Gloria Gaynor, Matt Followill of epic rockers the Kings of Leon and to that well-known typing error P!nk, who's very kindly brought her own cake along to the studio. There'll be the news, the weather and our usual dip into the Devizes Diary plus music from Black Eyed Peas, Frankie Valli and Mike and the Mechanics. The Packed Lunch on Fantasy Radio. It's birthday cake for your ears! 🎂📻

06/09/2025

We've heard from Town Council that sadly tonight's Twilight Cinema event at Park has been cancelled due to high winds, it's just not safe to set up the big screen. We understand that tickets will be refunded, so look out for more details on that in the coming days.

04/09/2025

Featuring the local businesses that help to keep us on air. We have some new friends joining the Fantasy Family this month! Including Vaughan's Kitchen Cookery School. Cookery classes, culinary challenges and family cook-offs! Call Devizes 530203 or head to vaughanscookeryschool.co.uk

03/09/2025

Featuring the local businesses that help to keep us on air. We have some new friends joining the Fantasy Family this month! Including Deedar Indian Restaurant, with delicious dishes for collection or delivery, plus Wednesday Night is £14.99 Banquet Night! Head online to deedarrestaurant.co.uk 🍛

02/09/2025

Featuring the local businesses that help to keep us on air. We have some new friends joining the Fantasy Family this month! Including Henry Aldridge & Son, the Wiltshire Auctioneers with the Worldwide Reputation. Learn more at henryaldridge.com

01/09/2025

Featuring the local businesses that help to keep us on air. We have some new friends joining the Fantasy Family this month! Including Heritage Fine Foods and their 5 a Day Box -- fresh, seasonal fruit and veg and other groceries, delivered to your door. Order now at 5adaybox.co.uk 🥦🥕

30/08/2025

It’s the final ‘That Dan Chisholm Show’ from 11pm - miss it or miss out! Saturday night into Sunday morning with our Dan, for one last time. Listen on 97FM and at fantasyradio.co.uk - thanks Dan!

Join Dan Chisholm for one last time on That Dan Chisholm Show, Saturday night from 11pm - on 97FM and at fantasyradio.co.uk

30/08/2025

We’re sorry to say that to keep everyone safe, our coverage of the Devizes Carnival cannot go ahead due to the wet weather. But the good news is that the carnival is taking place without us — we hope everyone has a great time! 🥳🎉🎊

30/08/2025

⚽️📻 The Saturday Segue team is live from Devizes Town FC until 1pm, then it’s DTFC versus Welton Rovers, kick off 2pm at The Grist Environmental Ground, Nursteed Road 🔴⚪️

29/08/2025

Join Dan Chisholm for one last time on That Dan Chisholm Show, Saturday night from 11pm - on 97FM and at fantasyradio.co.uk

28/08/2025

Ahead of his last show on Saturday, read more about Dan Chisholm’s involvement in Fantasy Radio UK 👇

During the week, I’ve shared memories and stories from my radio career and have explained why I feel community radio is so important today.

As the BBC diminishes local output, stations like Fantasy Radio become an even more important link with the local community than ever before. But community stations cannot exist without proper funding and support.

Their teams of volunteers work extremely hard and this is why (since leaving the BBC) I’ve been keen to ‘pass forward’ the skillset I have to others who may not benefit from such training. It's also why I have tried to avoid presenting on community stations, as I feel it’s better to nurture, mentor and help develop the next generation of broadcasters who may otherwise not benefit from the first-class training I've been lucky to have.

You see, like any skilled role in professional life, there are many who think they can do the job, without being aware of just how much work goes into professional radio.

To put it simply, anyone can sit behind a live microphone and speak. To do it with authority and knowledge of what you can and cannot say is vital.

You must understand that saying the wrong thing on-air could lead to a jail sentence or losing your house. That’s why training is so important – just inserting the word ‘alleged’ into a sentence doesn’t always get you off the legal hook.

But the other challenge facing community radio stations is the vicious cycle of the challenges of funding. Here are the basic facts:

• Excellent programmes = strong listenership
• Strong listenership = local businesses wanting to advertise
• Businesses wanting to advertise = funding for the station
• Funding for the station = overheads, and licensing costs are covered
• Covering costs = they continue to broadcast!

By reversing that cycle and you can understand the challenges stations face.

I initially joined Fantasy Radio following the death of the station’s founder Phil Dawson. I knew of Phil, but had never met him although I knew he was highly respected, not only in the local community, but across Wiltshire and beyond.

After I heard his son Tom had taken over the running of the station (and with a Christmas schedule to fill imminently), I offered to help. By the New Year, I was asked to consider presenting a regular programme which started as ‘Late Night Fantasy’ and later, rebranded as ‘That Dan Chisholm Show’.

I mentioned earlier that community stations can be faced with difficult financial decisions – especially at times when everyone is tightening their purse strings. I questioned whether it was time to consider replacing the jingle package which sounded dated and in need of a refresh.

However, while Phil Dawson composed the original station jingles, it was hard to identify the funds to create an update. So I wondered whether I may be able to help.

I’ve created and produced music for a number of years, but never attempted sung jingles for a radio station. As one who had previously used jingle packages created by the major American companies, I do know they have to be right. And then one day, I had an idea …

I wondered whether we could look forward to the 30th anniversary of the station and I considered rebuilding a modern version of Phil’s original jingles as a tribute to him. In other words, preserving the remaining part of Phil’s legacy to the station by updating his original work.

I realised if I could pull off this idea, it would be a great gift to donate to the station. So, I decided to set to work in the hope I could make this happen.

After creating an updating news jingle, I forwarded it for Tom’s opinion. I added that we would need to bring in a good professional female singer for the vocals, but I knew a singer called Anna Neale who’d sung many radio jingles who'd be perfect, if available.

Fast forward several months, to a station meeting in Devizes where Tom unveiled the station’s new sound, but crucially, without telling anyone about my involvement. It was important they gave an honest opinion. And thankfully, they loved what they heard.

I think.

(Photograph: Dan with the voice of Fantasy Radio's jingles, Anna Neale, at the 2023 Ivor Novello Awards in London)

28/08/2025

Featuring the local businesses that help to keep us on air: The Antenna Man. If your telly box is on the blink, or your FM radio’s on the fritz, you need The Antenna Man from Aerial and Satellite Services.