Howard Bentham

Radio career

Bentham began his radio career as a volunteer at Dudley Hospital Radio in the West Midlands. His first professional broadcasting role was presenting Weekend Overnights at Wolverhampton's Classic Gold WABC. He then worked at Stratford-upon-Avon's The Bear 102. He began presenting the Weekday Breakfast Show in January 2001 and was their flagship presenter until March 2005. Bentham was recruited as Weekday Breakfast Presenter for BBC Hereford and Worcester in April 2005 and presented the show until October 2014 making him, at the time, the longest serving Weekday Breakfast Presenter in the station's history. In addition he regularly covered Worcestershire County Cricket Club games as part of the station's ball-by-ball commentary team. Bentham joined BBC Radio Oxford in November 2014 initially hosting their Mid-Morning Show before a two year stint hosting the BBC Radio Oxford Breakfast Show. He currently presents their Hometime Show which he calls the HB hometime prog. Bentham was the main freelance presenter for BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra covering Champions League, Premiership football, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Wimbledon Tennis and Test Match Cricket until 2009.

Awards

Bentham was the main presenter when BBC Hereford & Worcester won three Sony Radio Academy Gold Awards. He also won the Frank Gillard BBC Local Radio Silver Award with fellow BBC Hereford and Worcester presenter Toni McDonald

Charity Work & Challenges

Bentham took part in a challenge to offset his carbon footprint which involved planting over a thousand new trees. He raised £9000 in 2010 for the charity 'Noah's Ark Trust' by cycling around Herefordshire and Worcestershire for five days.

Sports Presentation & Stadium Announcer

Bentham is a world-class stadium announcer and has been the voice of the Hockey Competitions at the 2016 & 2012 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and London. He was the announcer for five matches at the 2015 Rugby Union World Cup including the two record breaking attendances at Wembley Stadium in that competition. He has also hosted Paralympic Games Wheelchair Rugby and 7-a-side Football. He is also the leading badminton announcer in the English speaking world. He has also worked for the England & Wales Cricket Board and British Rowing. He was formerly the stadium announcer at the Sixways Stadium for the Worcester Warriors and was also the announcer for the 2002 Hockey Competition at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

Personal life

Bentham was born in Bedford in 1965. In 1984, he studied Geography and Sociology at Birmingham University and later returned to the university to complete a Post-Graduate Certificate in Primary Education. He also collects traffic cones and photographs roundabouts