Ian Cheeseman Talks: How I came to meet Dame Sarah Storey

Tameside Radio presenter Ian Cheeseman tells us about his time working for the BBC and how he first met his guest for Saturday's show - multi-gold medal-winning swimmer and cyclist, Dame Sarah Storey...

Joining the BBC in May 1994 was one of the proudest days of my life. 

I’d dreamed, as a small boy, of being the Manchester City commentator on the radio, having listened to Ian Frame, who was the City reporter at the time. 

It’s a long story as to how I ended up at the BBC, perhaps for another day, but walking into New Broadcasting House on Oxford Road was such a thrill. This was where I was going to work.

When I got home, that first day, my friends and family asked me how my, ‘first day at work’ had gone? 

It hadn’t felt like ‘work’ even though it was because I was doing something I’d have done for free if I’d been financially secure. 

I’d admired the BBC for so many years so it was the ideal fit to fulfil my dreams.

I used to watch Children in Need every year, before I started working there, so to get the chance to be part of that was also a thrill. 

Right from the first year I volunteered to take part and fulfilled different roles such as hosting the on-air auction on Radio Manchester where I chatted to people like Ronan Keating, Denise Welsh etc... while I tried to raise as much money for charity as possible.

After a few years the radio station scaled back its coverage so when I saw that North West Tonight (regional TV) were looking for someone to be ‘a friend of Pudsey’ I took on the role.

I featured in the local sections of the Terry Wogan hosted show for many years, from locations such as a Mersey Ferry, the Manchester Arndale Centre, Preston Guild Hall and loved it. 

Eventually there were extensions of Children in Need called Sport Relief and Comedy Relief too. 

I was so excited to be involved in those too and one year I ran 30 miles (more than a marathon) between City, United, Bolton and Wigan raising money by sponsorship. 

Two years later I cycled around all the professional football clubs in our area, over 90 miles, starting at Macclesfield, via Wigan to City.

I couldn’t have done the cycling challenge without help, so Barney Storey MBE, who rode as a sighted pilot for blind or partially sighted athletes who won three gold medals at the Paralympics, rode tandem with me. 

Part way around the route we were joined by his girlfriend, now wife, Dame Sarah Storey, who I’d met when she was a young swimmer.

Sarah is a multi-gold medal-winning swimmer and cyclist. She’s not just an amazing athlete but a wonderful human being, so this week I’ve been chatting to her about her life and career. 

She talks about her exploits around the world in the Paralympics, her disability and so much more. She’s an inspiration and well worth a listen.

Join me on Saturday afternoon from 1pm when “Ian Cheeseman talks... to Dame Sarah Storey” on Tameside Radio 103.6FM