Nick Ferrari celebrates 20 years as presenter of LBC’s Nick Ferrari at Breakfast

5 January 2024, 09:34 | Updated: 5 January 2024, 12:01

Nick Ferrari celebrates his twentieth anniversary as the host of LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast show
Nick Ferrari celebrates his twentieth anniversary as the host of LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast show. Picture: Alamy
LBC

By LBC

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and former Prime Ministers lined up to congratulate Nick on his landmark broadcasting achievement

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Nick Ferrari, one of the UK’s most popular, respected and formidable speech broadcasters, is celebrating 20 years as the host of LBC’s multi-award-winning Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, broadcast weekdays from 7am.

This morning’s anniversary programme featured guest appearances and special messages from leaders across the political spectrum, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and many of the former Prime Ministers whom Nick has interviewed and challenged over the past two decades, including Boris Johnson, Theresa May and Gordon Brown.

Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in Call Keir, his regular phone-in on LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast show, where he takes calls from LBC listeners across the UK, at the Global Studios, London. Picture date: Monday March 6, 2023.
Over his 20 years at LBC Nick has questioned many politicians, including the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. Picture: Alamy

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told Nick: “Massive congratulations on making it to 20 years. That’s an extraordinary innings. I’ve always loved coming on your show, particularly last year when we took lots of calls from your listeners, which was fun, and I’m pretty sure I’ll be back on your show again, particularly this year of all years, but congratulations, enjoy the day and I’ll see you soon.”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who took part in his monthly Call Keir phone-in on Nick’s programme today, said: "Real congratulations, I am really pleased to be on on the day of your anniversary. I can't imagine what it's like to get up at 05:30 every week day for twenty years."

Nick has been at the forefront of major political events over the course of his 20 years at LBC
Nick has been at the forefront of major political events over the course of his 20 years at LBC. Picture: Alamy

After a highly successful career in the national press and television news, Nick Ferrari joined LBC in 2001 and launched the brand-new Nick Ferrari at Breakfast in 2004.

Ten years later, the programme launched nationally, along with LBC, which is now the UK’s number one commercial news talk brand. In the ten years since being a national breakfast programme, Nick has grown his audience by 94%, from 668,000 to 1.3 million weekly listeners, with his audience share growing by a staggering 103%.

Former Prime Minister Theresa May appeared often on Nick's show.
Former Prime Minister Theresa May appeared often on Nick's show. Picture: Alamy

While Nick has been the man behind the mic for the past 20 years, it’s his listeners who take centre stage each weekday morning, debating the issues that matter to them, expressing their opinions and sharing the most personal and often heartfelt stories with someone they have come to trust and, for many, consider to be a friend.

Nick has spoken to thousands of listeners, giving him a first-hand and unique insight into what people across the UK are thinking, feeling and experiencing.

For 20 years, Nick has been a champion of the radio phone-in, putting his listeners in the driving seat to question and challenge those in government and leadership.

Nick Ferrari celebrates his twentieth anniversary as the host of LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast show
Nick Ferrari celebrates his twentieth anniversary as the host of LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast show. Picture: Alamy

In 2013, Nick became part of radio history when Call Clegg launched on his programme – the weekly phone-in with then Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, marking the first time that a senior member of government had agreed to be challenged by listeners on air each week.

Other phone-ins soon followed, including Ask Boris, with then Mayor of London Boris Johnson, up to the current Call Keir and Call the Cabinet, where a different senior member of the Cabinet faces the public each time.

Nick questioned Boris Johnson both as Mayor and Prime Minister
Nick questioned Boris Johnson both as Mayor and Prime Minister. Picture: Alamy

Nick has proven to be a straight-talking, tenacious and, at times, tough interviewer and journalist – getting to the heart of an issue and asking the questions that other interviewers don’t.

Over the past two decades, he has interviewed thousands of national and world leaders from the worlds of politics, business and entertainment,

Speaking to Nick Ferrari today, former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: "Warmest congratulations on this landmark moment, two decades entertaining, informing, provoking the unsuspecting British public as they listen to your show."

He said it was "no wonder you're a legend in British broadcasting, many congratulations."

Nick said he did not sleep well last night ahead of this special show, much like this first night on LBC twenty years ago.

"Thank you for indulging me, it's not something I imagine I'll be doing in twenty years time, but the most important thank you goes to you and it's very very heartfelt."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Zhenhao Zou is accused of raping three women in London and 7 in China, whilst they were unconscious

PhD student 'discussed rape role-play' with alleged victim, trial hears

Exclusive
Senior Tories including Suella Braverman and Michael Gove have criticised the judge's comments

Senior Tories blast 'out of touch' judge for 'ludicrous attack' on Starmer’s migrant remarks

Breaking
Yarden Bibas was released by Hamas earlier this month

Hamas to return bodies of Bibas family with six more Israelis to walk free

Lisa Smith, 43, was with a female friend when she was killed outside the Three Horseshoes pub in Knockholt, Kent

Man suspected of fatally shooting wife outside pub on Valentine's Day rang friend and said 'she's dead'

Carry On legend Julian Holloway dies aged 80

Carry On legend Julian Holloway dies aged 80 after 'brief illness' as tributes pour in

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned 'any appearance by armed forces under some other flag' in Ukraine would be 'completely unacceptable', in a dig at a peace plan floated by Keir Starmer.

Keir Starmer’s Ukraine peacekeeping plan ‘completely unacceptable’, Russia tells US in Saudi Arabia talks

Rita Lambourne, 58, was “fatally wounded” at her home in Bayencourt South, Bexhill

Man charged with axe murder of woman in own home

Lydia Mugambe is accused of taking 'advantage of her status'

UN judge ‘trafficked woman to UK to be her slave'

Anonymous posters have appeared in Hampstead Heath, a park in north London, calling for gay men to stop using the park for sex.

'Take back Hampstead Heath', dog walkers urged as posters appear calling for men to stop using park for sex

Gavin Nicholls was tackled to the ground by a plain-clothed officer outside the Co-op in Barnet

Moment serial shoplifter is tackled off e-scooter by police as he flees store in north London

The plane, which was carrying 80 people, slid down onto the icy runway at Toronto Pearson International Airport before bursting into flames

Horrifying video shows moment Delta plane crashes on tarmac and bursts into flames at Toronto airport

Healey's comments came following Russia-US Peake talks in Saudi Arabia.

UK facing 'new era of threat' from Russia, Defence Secretary says as he unveils ‘biggest military shake up in 50 years’

Passengers escape Flipped over Delta plane after it crashed while landing in Toronto

'We were hanging upside down like bats': Survivors reveal fear and chaos inside flipped over Delta plane

England's top judge slams Starmer and Badenoch over Gaza family immigration comments

'Judges aren't free from criticism': Backlash after England's top judge attacks Starmer's migrant remarks

Craig and Lindsay Foreman

British couple on round-the-world motorbike adventure charged with espionage by Iranian authorities

An assistant referee has been charged with child sexual offences.

Assistant referee for FA Cup and football league games charged with child sexual offence