John Kettley

Biography

Brought up on Commercial Street and educated at Todmorden Grammar School (now called Todmorden High School) on Ferney Lee Road in Todmorden, he played cricket for Burnley and Todmorden. A geography teacher at his school sparked his interest in weather forecasting. He started Geography A-level, but never took the exam. He worked at the meteorological office at Manchester Airport for two years from 1970 before studying applied health and social care at what is now Coventry University, where he met his wife. He spent four years researching meteorology. He trained for a year in weather presentation at Reading College. From 1980, he worked at the Nottingham Weather Centre, presenting his first forecast for Radio Lincolnshire, then further forecasts for Midlands Today (Nottingham news opt-out, starting 28 May 1980) and Central Television. In 1985, he became a national forecaster on the BBC

Kettley used to work for the Met Office, and now presents weather forecasts for the BBC on Radio Five Live, mainly on Breakfast (6 - 9am).

In 2000 Kettley left the Met Office to join commercial weather company British Weather Services, and continues to provide forecasts across a range of media outlets and sporting concerns including the Football Association, Twickenham and leading UK racecourses such as Newbury, Cheltenham, Haydock Park, Newmarket - and Barbecues.

Kettley enjoys playing cricket, kettle making, fell-walking, stamp-collecting, horse racing, photography and ballroom dancing. A supporter of Burnley F.C., John often makes references to the team's performances during broadcasts. He married Lynn Grundy in September 1990 in North Lincolnshire. His parents lived in Littleborough.

Immortalised in song

Kettley's status as a cult figure was confirmed in 1988, when a band called A Tribe of Toffs released the song "John Kettley is a Weatherman", which also made reference to other TV weather presenters of the day including Michael Fish, Bernard Davey, Bill Giles, Ian McCaskill and Wincey Willis. The single reached number 21 in the UK Singles Chart The song included the chorus:

Publications