19th January
2009
Sponsored by Regent
Furnishers, Holland-on-Sea
Bill Giles OBE with
“The
Weather Show”
Bill is one of Britain’s best known weather
forecasters and presenters on BBC Television for over 25 years.
Bill retired as Senior Broadcaster from the
Met Office in January 2000 after leading the team of Broadcaster Meteorologists since
1983. Since his retirement in January 2000, Bill continues to advise on broadcast
meteorology.
He was born in Dittisham, near Dartmouth in
Devon and first became interested in meteorology whilst at school in Crediton and joined the
Meteorological Office at Exeter in January 1957 on leaving Bristol College of Science and
Technology. Later that year he was sent to Christmas Island to observe the immediate
meteorological effects of the H-bomb tests.
From 1961 to 1963 Bill was based in Germany
as an observer with the RAF and between 1968 and 1970 worked as a lecturer at the Met
Office’s training college.
Bill’s broadcasting career began in 1972
when he transferred to the London Weather Centre to become part of the team forecasting for
BBC Radio. He moved to television forecasting in 1975.
In 1980 promotion took him back to Bracknell
where he worked in public relations and then, in May 1983, he returned to take charge of BBC
Television’s forecasting team, on the retirement of Jack Scott.
October 1990 saw the publication of Bill’s
book “The Weather Story”, and he also started to present the BBC programme “The Weather
Show”, in which Bill provided an insight into the mysteries of forecasting and offered a
glimpse behind the scenes at the kind of things that can go wrong.
Bill has completed a series, which has been
broadcast by Carlton in Plymouth and Bristol, a series of twelve half-an-hour programmes on
the specific implications of Climate change in Southwest England. Bill has also
lectured on this subject to several conferences.
Bill’s main contribution to this subject is
that he translates the language of pure science into one which everyone can
understand.
Bill lives in Oxfordshire, with his
wife. They have a son, Philip, and a daughter, Helen. His hobbies include golf,
cricket and gardening.
Bill was awarded the O.B.E. in the 1995 New
Year’s Honours for services to broadcast meteorology.
As the former Senior Weatherman at the BBC Weather Centre, I was
born in Dittisham, near Dartmouth in Devon. I retired from the Met Office in January 2000 after
leading the team of Broadcast Meteorologists since 1983.
I first became interested in meteorology whilst at school in
Crediton and joined the Meteorological Office at Exeter in January 1957 on leaving Bristol College
of Science and Technology. Later that year I was sent to Christmas Island to observe the immediate
meteorological affects of the H-bomb tests.
From 1961 to 1963 I was based in Germany as an observer with the
RAF and between 1968 and 1970 worked as a lecturer at the Met Office's training college.
My broadcasting career began in 1972 when I transferred to the
London Weather Centre to become part of the team forecasting for BBC Radio. I moved to television
forecasting in 1975. In 1980 promotion took me back to Bracknell where I worked in public relations
and then, in May 1983, I returned to take charge of BBC Television's forecasting team, on the
retirement of Jack Scott.
October 1990 saw the publication of my book "The Weather Story",
and I presented the BBC programme "The Weather Show", in which I provided an insight into the
mysteries of forecasting and offered a glimpse behind the scenes at the kind of things that can go
wrong.
Since my retirement, I have been a Director of Weather Index Ltd.
I have now formed my own company The Weather People Ltd with my old BBC chum John
Teather.
I live in Oxfordshire, with my wife
and have a son, Philip, and a daughter, Helen. My hobbies include golf, cricket and
gardening.
I was very lucky to be awarded the O.B.E in the 1995 New Year's
Honours for services to broadcast meteorology
bbc weather forecast with bill giles on saturday 1st march
1986.
this was the last few days of a severe freeze up that lasted all february and made february 1986
the second coldest of the 20th century.
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