Gus Beattie is the man behind a number of hit comedy shows that you may have heard on your radio over the past few years, from Radio Scotland to Radio Four. We managed to grab a word with one of the busiest men in Scotland to find out more about his path to being The Comedy Unit’s Executive Producer of Radio and some of the varied media roles he’s been involved in over the years…
One way or another, you’ve spent a number of years involved in radio. Can you tell us what your first steps were in this industry?
I was 26, looking for a career change and was keen to get involved in the creative industries, so I enrolled on a radio production course in Stirling as I felt that would be a good starting point. The course involved all aspects including writing, presenting and editing so it was a great grounding in the business. There was a hook up with
local radio station Central FM so a lot of the work you produced ended up on air, meaning the course offered really good practical experience. I’d just started writing comedy sketches at roughly the same time and had my first sketch on Only An Excuse? in 1997 so it really drove me on to try and make myself a success in the radio business.
You were a commercial production manager with Central FM – can you take us through what that role involved?
I was offered that job on the back of the work I’d done on the training course and the sketch-writing, so at the time it was the perfect job for me. Often you have to create your own opportunities and in a way I did that, but you do need a bit of luck as well. The job involved liaising with potential advertisers on Central FM and working closely with them on their advertising brief. Once an idea and a script were agreed upon I would then produce the commercial which would involve hiring and directing voice over artists, then mixing it all together using sound effects and music. Good fun! I liked to use humour when I could in a commercial as it’s a really good to way to get a message across in advertising. Someone told me a funny advert I’d made 15 years ago still gets used by one company!
As well as working on the business side, you also hosted your own show on Central FM for many years. Were there transferable skills that you could take from other jobs and use on the air? Is having the gift of the gab in a meeting good experience for being able to talk on air?
On my training course I had done some presenting and I was taken on because I had that skill-set. At Central FM at that time you were called upon sometimes to present a sports bulletin or maybe do a live outside broadcast, which then led me to presenting my own weekday late night show called The Late Shift for six years. I also hosted The Falkirk Football Programme which was a half-hour show and brilliant to be involved with as I’m a big Bairns fan. In terms of transferable skills I was a sales-rep for many years so I think the confidence that gave me helped with my role as a presenter, as we were taught a lot about good communications skills and how to be effective in one-on-ones, which really applied to things like conducting radio interviews later on.
How did your transition towards comedy-based radio work come about?
I’d been supplying material to The Comedy Unit for shows such as Only An Excuse? and Watson’s Wind Up for a couple of years and had also developed a sitcom script with them so I was known to the company and was on good terms with everybody including Philip Differ, the producer of Only An Excuse? (who I had on my Central FM radio show a few times talking about his love of rock music). An opportunity had come up with them for someone to look after the radio side of their comedy business and Philip had suggested myself as a good candidate. Again, I was in the right place at the right time as I had made good connections there, so when the opportunity arose for this position I was well-placed and happily, was offered the job. So I went from making funny, quirky commercials in local radio to pitching and making shows for all BBC Radio networks but I was ready at that time for the challenge and rose to it.
Can you tell us some of the programmes that you’re most proud of working on?
My first commission ever was for a show called Cowan Meets The Crooners for BBC Radio Scotland where Tam Cowan would interview some of his crooner heroes, including Neil Sedaka – we managed to go to New York to interview him so that was a proud moment and a nice jolly to the States! Obviously Fags, Mags & Bags written by Sanjeev Kohli & Donald Mcleary was a massive show for me as it was our first successful network show for Radio 4 and really helped build my reputation with network audiences. But if I had to pick one individual programme the Absolutely reunion we did last year for our ‘Sketchorama’ show on Radio 4 was a really highlight. We picked up a BBC Audio Drama Award last year for that show so that was a really proud moment.
Obviously the internet and the growth of digital content has changed the radio industry but do you think there are now more or less opportunities for employment in it as a result?
It’s hard to say what opportunities lie ahead in the digital sphere but it can only increase, especially if BBC3 does move online as more and more people will start to seek out comedy content online. Advertisers are seeing the benefit of being aligned to a top comedy brand so in terms of employment opportunities, I think they’ll be a real explosion in the next 10 years or so. It’s an interesting time for the comedy industry and for myself I see the digital world as a natural progression and have been working on a number of online ideas and proposals.
You’ve worked with a lot of very talented people, who’s left on your wishlist?
Blimey, good question, I’d love to reunite another classic sketch group like League of Gentlemen or Fry & Laurie so I’d say those guys, for sure.
You recently produced a Commonwealth Games Special of Wired News featuring Lewis Macleod. Will that be coming back for a full series?
Yes, we’re hoping to get a series of Wired News scheduled for some time next year on Radio Scotland. We’ve produced two shows with Lewis Macleod with the Wired News format for Radio Scotland, the first a pilot and another Commonwealth Games Special and they’ve been really we received. Lewis is such a brilliant talent so looking forward to that coming round again and we’re also working with a host of really good writers on that show, so it’s one to listen out for.
Thank you to Gus for taking time out of a hectic recording schedule to speak to us. At s1jobs we’re very excited by the opportunities that Scottish production companies are finding across the UK, along with the media jobs that this creates. Gus serves as a great example of somebody who has been able to continually add to and refine his skillset so as to eventually end up in the perfect role for him. In the words of our brand manager, Kayleigh Lockhart:
“Few of us land our dream job straight away, so it’s important to be adaptable and build up a portfolio of transferable skills, something Gus has obviously done to great effect on his way towards his perfect job. Always remember that experience gained is never wasted.”
Photographer supplied by interviewee.