Beloved BBC star issues health update to fans after revealing “terrifying” surgery
BBC star John Spencer-Barnes returned to work after undergoing a “terrifying” surgery while also dealing with “devastating” personal news.
John, 63, is well known for reading news bulletins across BBC radio stations, along with his work on Radio Five Live.
The Dudley-born broadcaster briefly tried his hand in front of the camera.
He covered a few segments for BBC Hereford and Worcester, but admitted he preferred the anonymity of working on the radio.
Alongside this, John also pursues his passion for history.
“I spend my life as a jobbing historian and freelance newsreader either inside historic houses or radio studios,” he wrote of his current career on X, formerly Twitter.
As John’s social media shows, he’s usually very optimistic about life, sharing behind-the-scenes looks at his work for the BBC as well as his personal adventures.
John took to X yesterday to share a health update with the online community, confirming his return to work.
He wrote: “I’m at BBC Radio 5 Live reading bulletins over the next couple of weeks. It’s really good to be back.”
This comes after the radio star shared that he has not been feeling like his usually happy self this week after finding himself in the middle of two very emotional situations.
John shared that he was dealing with some very sad news in his personal life.
“I’ve had some news which has devastated me and has been very hard to process. I can’t elaborate to respect the individual’s privacy,” he said.
Continuing, John added: “To make matters worse I’m going into hospital tomorrow for an operation which is terrifying me.
“I’m not my usual optimistic self right now,” he concluded.
John’s fans were quick to flood the comment second with replies and well wishes, though.
John was born in Dudley and studied at Wolverhampton University.
BBC departures and returns
LEAVING/LEFT
Newsnight’s Mark Urban after 35 years on air
Claudia Winkleman quitting BBC Radio 2 after 15 years
Correspondent Robin Brant after two decades
Sports presenter Garry Richardson after 50 years
BBC Radio star Jason Rosam after 16 years on air
Jordan North quitting Radio 1 and moving to Capital
RETURNING/RETURNED
Martine Croxall after launching legal action against the Beeb
Karin Giannone after a horror injury and year off air
Annita McVeigh after losing out on a chief presenter job last year
Geeta Guru-Murthy after also being off air for more than a year
He began his career as a freelance broadcaster at BRMB in Birmingham and then moved to the experimental BBC service WM Heartlands in East Birmingham between 1989 and 1991.
He was involved in the campaign for community radio and was News Editor of the UK’s first community radio station, Wear FM in Sunderland.
He was the launch manager of Welsh commercial station Radio Maldwyn and 107.9 Huddersfield FM in West Yorkshire.
In 1994 he became News Editor of 97.4 Rock FM and Red Rose 999 in Preston, Lancashire.
While at Rock FM, he co-ordinated the EMAP Radio response to the IRA bombing of Manchester.
The bomb had taken Manchester’s Key 103 and Piccadilly Magic 1152 off air.
He arranged an emergency news service for the Manchester stations and a replacement radio service from a studio in Preston.
His more recent career has been at the BBC where he has broadcast at BBC Hereford and Worcester, BBC Radio Berkshire and was the presenter of the Late Show on BBC Radio Lancashire, which was simulcast to BBC Radio Manchester, for more than a decade.
John is now the BBC reporter for Lancaster, Lancashire and Morecambe Bay.
He is a Director of the Maritime Volunteer Service and the Director of Communications for the organisation.
He is a Trustee of the search and rescue charity Bay Search & Rescue which operates on the sands of Morecambe Bay and elsewhere in the country. He is also the town crier of St Anne’s on the Sea.
In February 2021, it was reported that John was moving to a freelance status and would also present a regular slot on the Lancashire station Rossendale Radio.