Peter Levy: 70 years old, 50 years in broadcasting

Peter Levy has been a regular fixture on local radio and television since 1975

BBC Look North presenter Peter Levy is celebrating two major milestones - his 70th birthday and 50 years in broadcasting.

After starting his career in radio in 1975, Peter moved into television, becoming one of the most familiar faces on regional news.

Known for his calm delivery of major stories and his playful exchanges with weather presenter Paul Hudson, he has fronted Look North East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire from Hull since 2002.

He says his time at the BBC has been "absolutely fantastic" and that he feels happiest when broadcasting.

Peter in his first years of broadcasting

Over the years, he has reported on floods, royal visits and local tragedies, but he is just as well known for his on-air camaraderie with weather presenter Paul Hudson.

The pair's gentle sparring has become a staple of the regional bulletin.

"He means everything to me," Peter says.

"He's a broadcast genius, he's so clever in his world and a climate expert but he's also a brilliant broadcaster."

Paul and Peter have been friends for 30 years

Born in Farnborough, Hampshire, in 1955, Peter grew up in Oxfordshire and initially considered acting before turning to radio.

His first break came at Pennine Radio in Bradford. He then moved to Radio City in Liverpool, with a stint at Radio Aire in Leeds following.

By the time he joined the BBC in 1987, he was a familiar voice across Yorkshire.

His move into television cemented his reputation, and by the time Look North launched from Hull in 2002, he was the natural choice to front it.

He has lived in the region for most of his life and is often spotted out and about in Hull.

"I love the city and I love the people " he says. "This is where I'll stay post-job. This is where I belong."

Off screen, Peter has been a passionate supporter of local culture, often championing regional productions. He has also revisited his earlier love of acting, with a guest appearances in Still Open All Hours.

He says he left school without any qualifications but his career path is proof "you can still get there and get employment and do OK".

While he insists he is simply doing the job he loves, viewers will see him as something more: a trusted companion who has helped tell the story of their communities for five decades.

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