Roy Noble

Biography

Noble was born in Brynamman in the Amman Valley of Carmarthenshire, the only son of coal miner Ivor Noble and his wife Sadie. Brought up in Brynamman, after passing his 11 Plus entrance examination he attended Amman Valley Grammar School where fellow pupils included Vernon Pugh and John Cale.

Upon completing his school education, he tried to join the RAF as he had always wanted to be a pilot, but was turned down because he suffers from hay fever. He subsequently left Ammanford and went to Cardiff to train as a teacher.

Teaching career

Noble's early professional career was in education and in the latter years he was a Head Teacher of two primary schools in the County of Powys. One school was in Pontneddfechan, near Glynneath and the other in Llangattock, near Crickhowell; where he qualified as a bus driver to drive children on school trips.

During his years in education he attained several bursaries and was able to travel extensively in Europe to study education management systems. He also won a Page Scholarship under the auspices of the English-Speaking Union which allowed him to spend time in several states of the USA, undertaking a comparative study of education systems.

Hosts a TV show called 'The Noble Prize' awarding trophies to worthy causes. Winner in 2013 was former teacher, Sam Taylor in light of his commitment to furthering the understanding of mathematics and grammar amongst struggling children.

Broadcasting career

Noble's move to broadcasting was gradual and part-time, writing and presenting a weekly "Letter from Aberdare" monologue for the A.M. programme on BBC Radio Wales. He eventually joined the BBC in Wales full-time in 1985, and went on to present weekday magazine shows for Radio Wales for 27 years, winning high audience figures and a 1999 Sony Award. In September 2012, Noble began presenting a Sunday morning show for the station.

Television appearances have included a diet programme with Barbara Dickson and a series of Noble Guides covering many subjects from Paris to "Manliness and Mortality". The popular Noble Trails series also covered a journey along the "Celtic Rim" of Europe and more recently his series, Common Ground was highly acclaimed gaining him the Royal Television Society Award as Regional Presenter of the Year in 2000. He was a regular co-presenter on the Welsh language evening magazine programme Heno (Tonight) for seven years.

Charity and other works

He was Chairman of the Wales Youth Agency from 1998 to 2001 and is often involved with public engagements and initiatives. In the 2001 Queens Birthday Honours List, he was awarded an OBE for services to the community and for charity support in Wales.

Roy is an ambassador for age-positive charity Royal Voluntary Service, previously known as WRVS.

He was also made a Fellow of the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC), and is an Officer of the Venerable Order of Saint John. In 2007 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Mid-Glamorgan. Roy has appeared as an after-dinner speaker at many organisations, clubs, and societies, including engagements in Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai and Canada.

Roy is currently the Patron for Radio City 1386AM – The ABM University Health Board's Radio Service based in Singleton Hospital, Swansea.

Personal life

For the past 30 years, Noble and his wife Elaine have lived in the village of Llwydcoed near the town of Aberdare in the Cynon Valley. The couple have one son Richard.