BBC Look North's Peter Levy reveals 'extremely sad times' as he has no plans to retire

Peter Levy has revealed how he and BBC Look North viewers were there for one another during "sad times." Today, the broadcaster turns 70 and is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

The news anchor, from Kent, first entered the broadcasting industry in 1975, during the launch of Bradford's Pennine Radio—now Hits Radio West Yorkshire. It was here that he fell in love with broadcasting before eventually moving to Liverpool's Radio City, where he presented the drivetime show.

Having spent two decades working on radio, Peter found himself working on Look North from 2002, broadcasting across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. He admits he's the happiest when he's in the studio—delivering hard-hitting and fun news to thousands of people each day.

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Last year, he was presented with an honorary doctorate by Bishop Grosseteste University in Lincoln due to his "outstanding contribution" to cultural life. Now in his 70s, it also marks Peter's 50th year on the airwaves, something he had never expected. "It is unusual to be doing 50 years and not even having a break where you've been out of work," he exclusively told the Mirror. He went on to explain that he didn't know "anybody else" who had been in a similar position.

"It's a mixture of luck and hard work," Peter said, adding: "[I'm] very lucky as a person, I've worked hard and tried to keep in there. It's extraordinary, 50 years broadcasting, five days a week, every week, radio and TV. It's a business which is not known for longevity, when I think back over the years, there's many people that have been sort of on the TV for a short while and say 'I wonder what happened to so and so?' to stay the course for the whole career is unusual.

"I literally fell in love with broadcasting when I was a teen, and I've never fallen out of love with it. I still get as excited and enthused today as I did when I was 19-20 when I started. And I never feel happier than, you know, when I'm in a broadcast studio. I feel happier there than anywhere else and at home."

But Peter admits that while he's seen the highest highs, he's also been on hand to deliver the most heartbreaking news, including the miners' strike, the Valley Parade and Bradford's fire disaster. "More recently, Covid – an extremely sad time," Peter said, before adding: "Coming on night after night, announcing death figures and infection figures – then a few minutes later, lightening the mood, having a laugh and joke with Paul during the weather and trying to change things around.

"At that time, many people got in touch, emailed in to say 'You were the only face I saw all day that I knew' because obviously we weren't allowed to see people. As an essential worker, TV carried on. That was so lovely to see. I had my own difficulties seeing my family as well.

"So people at home emailing in saying, 'We're waiting to see you, and it's lovely to see you,' that was so, that was lovely." It was during the "agonies" of Covid that Peter felt more connected to the viewers, who wrote in to the studio with "desperately sad" stories, including viewers who had lost their wives and husbands. "It makes you realise just how important broadcasting is and what you say matters.

"The fact that yes, tell them what's happened in the world, tell them the bad news, but also then have a laugh and try and let them know that you're friends. So I think that was really an important moment for me."

The relationship Peter has with the viewers is "the most important thing" to him, as many have grown up with him, whereas nowadays, he is often stopped in the streets by teenagers who see him on their TV every night. This is why he believes regional news at 6:30pm on BBC is the most-watched programme on the network, across the country. "I think the world has gotten bigger, and suddenly you care more about your local area and you become more proud of your local area," he said.

While he never had any intentions of being in front of the camera, he was roped in to present a news bulletin as the team had been short-staffed but he instantly fell in love with the job. Reflecting on that first bulletin, Peter said: "I felt instantly at home and instantly had that rapport, then I did more of it.

"I think if you're only talking to one person and you're just thinking about that one person, you're not talking about those people out there, lots of you, I think it can really make a difference, it can be one-to-one, I think also the more regional stuff has the advantage over the big stars on network."

Regional news is something Peter feels is a bonus, as the viewers see him on a regular day and are able to "latch" on, experiencing the good days and bad days with him. He said: "While I've been presenting the TV I've lost both of my parents, you know, and everybody knows that they know what goes on, and they're there for you so the listeners are as important."

Each day, Peter receives dozens of messages on social media from viewers who open up to him about their worries due to the rapport he has with them. "If you'd said to me earlier this year that I would have gone to Buckingham Palace and had a chat with the King and Queen, I wouldn't have believed it," he laughed.

Walking through the famous quadrangle of the palace, Peter admits he had to pinch himself as he'd seen it on TV so many times. "I've seen the Prime Minister drive in here, to those steps," he said, adding: "I was so nervous and excited, I don't get nervous when I'm doing the TV, but I was nervous about that, and it was absolutely incredible.

"It's a hell of a job for them; they have to talk to so many people, but you feel like you're the only person that matters. They were both brilliant, really incredible, so it was quite a night – one that you won't forget!" Peter's job has allowed him to grill some of the biggest names in history, including Harold Wilson, who served as Prime Minister during the Seventies and Rishi Sunak. "Lots of showbusiness people who are your heroes, suddenly you're talking to them on the programme, it is incredible."

In more recent times, Peter has found himself the person people turn to if they have fallen victim to online scams, which he himself has experienced. People in the region email the broadcaster, asking for advice, which he says is the "power of regional TV," as they may not get that advice anywhere else.

He commented: "I think it's very important. The same way as the most important thing that I do, well not a daily basis, is what we call a call to account, where you need to give the Police and Crime Commissioner or the Mayor, or an MP a hard time and ask the difficult questions on behalf of the people at home, regional issues, you can only really do that here. That is really important because the people at home want to know."

But, he admits he gets some criticism from viewers when he interrupts an interviewee in order to ask an important question, or work to strict broadcasting schedules. One aspect of his career that fans love is his bond with weather presenter Paul Hudson, with whom Peter has worked for around three decades.

Praising his co-star, known for pushing the boundaries, Peter said: "He is a broadcasting genius because he knows how far he can go. He can go right to the edge of the cliff and not go quite over. He is a genius, he's a brilliant broadcaster. You can't fake that genuine friendship and genuine laughter."

After 50 years in the business and reaching 70, Peter said he's realised he has "more strength". He explained: "I've got more strength and determination to keep going, more than ever I thought. And I know the importance of viewers and listeners is crucial to my life, but I didn't realise I fell in love with broadcasting; I've not lost that love.

"It sounds cliché, but it's so true, I love it, it's important and rewarding. The viewers have given me back so much, they've given me a career and friendship for many, many years."

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