BBC Essex presenter Dave Monk's mixed emotions before final show

Dave regularly worked at his law practice either side of presenting a mid-morning show

The longest-serving radio presenter at BBC Essex said he felt a mixture of "sadness and excitement" about his final show after 37 years.

Dave Monk reported from some of the most significant milestones in the county's history and interviewed famous names including Sir Tony Blair, Dame Vera Lynn and Sir Paul McCartney.

He previously ran a law practice, owned a wine bar and performed in pantomime.

Dave, 70, praised his colleagues and listeners in his final programme link.

"Look after yourself, have a lot of fun, and don't forget, the more you laugh, the more you live. Goodbye," he finished.

He played the song Goodbye-ee performed by Dudley Moore and Peter Cook and could not resist one final quip: "Think yourself lucky I didn't play the 12-inch version."

Dave eventually folded his law practice to concentrate on his broadcast career

Dave, born in Southend-on-Sea, grew up listening to presenters including Roger 'Twiggy' Day and Johnny Walker on pirate radio.

However, he trained in law at the University of London at the same time as Baroness Scotland and former Conservative MP for Harlow Jerry Hayes.

Dave worked through the night as a mobile music DJ in the 1970s

He later qualified as a solicitor in the 1970s but moonlighted as mobile music DJ Dave (The Mad) Monk - inspired by his love of Grigori Rasputin - and he performed at venues such as The Wardroom at Wallasea Island and at Tilbury docks.

Dave brought his stage name to BBC Essex when he started as the Saturday breakfast show presenter, because his real name, David Travis, was already being used by the BBC Radio 1 DJ.

"That first show was, firstly, appalling and secondly, I was terrified - terrified, because I'd never been on the radio before," he recalled.

Dave performed at a Children in Need broadcast for BBC Essex in Hawkwell in November 1986

The presenter pulled the short straw in 1988, dressing as a jester for a Spanish Armada anniversary event at Tilbury Fort

When BBC Essex hit the airwaves for the first time at 06:00 on 5 November 1986, Dave made sure he was in the building to witness history.

Remarkably, he ran a law practice for about five years while he presented the mid-morning show full-time, typically diving into the office in a suit and tie either side of his show.

"I've no idea why I did that," he remembered.

"When opportunities present themselves I'm a great a believer in grabbing hold of them and doing it and I had a lot more energy than I have now - although I still have got quite a bit - so you just crack on and do it and have a laugh."

One of his law clients assumed Dave had a drinking problem because he was never reachable before noon.

Dave pictured third row back, fourth from left, in the first all-staff launch photo

Dave, pictured crouching in a red tie, jumped into a group photo while playing a song during his live show. Immediately to his left in cream-coloured trousers is now Essex County Council Conservative leader Kevin Bentley

Dave broadcasted from two major royal visits in 1991, when Queen Elizabeth II opened London Stansted Airport and her eponymously named bridge at the Dartford Crossing.

He and his producer proudly claimed to be the first to have driven over it.

Pictured with former Essex Regiment Museum historian Ian Hook in Belgium in 2014

In October 2021 he was on air when the Conservative MP for Southend West, Sir David Amess, was murdered, someone who he remembered as a "very good man, a very good constituency MP".

"That was hard, but you just kick in to professional mode and you get on with it," he said.

"I learnt very early on that you should never go on stage, or on the radio, without knowing what you're doing, so I always do a lot of preparation, so that if anything happens, you know how to handle it."

In 2018, Dave was invited to meet Emmanuel Macron at an Armistice centenary commemoration, after the French President's team learnt about his family history.

The Essex Record Office helped the presenter track down the Canadian grandfather who his family had never known, who was killed in World War One in 1916, which in turn introduced Dave to cousins the other side of the pond.

"That was extraordinary and I would never have had this without the privilege of being on BBC Essex," he said.

The presenter was on air when Sir David Amess was murdered in 2021 - someone he met dozens of times - which he described as a "hard" challenge

Since the pandemic, Dave has presented the Friday afternoon show, while fulfilling other community roles including as a Deputy Lord Lieutenant (DL) of Essex and trustee or patron for various charities.

"I'm telling myself my broadcasting time is over, I've done that," he said.

"I've got other things to do. I hope to be on the radio, but doing other things, and I hope if people see me out and about, either as a DL or doing charity stuff, then come say hello."

Dave, who is married to wife Caroline, can otherwise be found walking his 10-year-old rescue dog, Ted the border terrier.

Dave, pictured during his final show, played Goodbye-ee by Dudley Moore and Peter Cook as his final track

The presenter was tight-lipped about what he would say during his final link - his sign off from the show - but gave a few hints beforehand.

"I love the audience at BBC Essex," he said.

"I don't want to pick out too many names because there are so many and you feel you get to know those people as friends.

"I've had some pretty awful things happen to me over the years while I've been here and the audience has always been there for me, and what other job gives you that?"