Torquay DJ gets star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

A legendary Hollywood DJ from Torquay who is writing a book on Operation Tiger has been recognised with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Richard Blade is one of the most popular and best-known DJs in America and hosts a daily radio show on both SiriusXM 1st Wave and KCBS. Richard grew up in Torquay, going to school at Sherwell Valley Junior School and Torquay Boys’ Grammar School.

“I think I’ll be the only guy from the Bay that will be on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,” said Richard.

“Although I feel so blessed to have grown up in Torquay. It’s such a beautiful part of the world and there was a great music scene as well, the clubs were great and we had some world-class acts come down.”

After touring Europe for two years as a DJ, Richard moved to the United States, quickly gaining a wide following. In the 1980s, he was the top-rated morning-drive DJ on KROQ in Los Angeles and hosted and directed numerous TV shows and series including Video One, MV3, and VideoBeat.

He went on to win numerous awards, including The Golden Microphone, California’s Best DJ, the Brit-of-the-Year, and the American DJ Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

From hitchhiking with Richard Branson to DJing for Micheal Jackson and becoming best friends with Duran Duran, Richard certainly has had a colourful life. Now, Richard’s contributions to music will be immortalised by becoming the 2,782nd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which is set to be unveiled on June 6.

Speakers at the event included Walk of Famer Jimmy Kimmel and Richard Blade Fan Club Coordinator Oscar E. Alvarez, Jr.

"The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is proud to honour radio personality Richard Blade with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame," stated Ana Martinez, Walk of Fame Producer.

“Richard has enriched many lives with his incredible talent and passion for music. This ceremony will bring back great memories and music from the 1980s when he was with the Los Angeles radio station, KROQ. What makes this award even more special for Richard is that he was nominated by his fans!” added Martinez.

Richard Blade’s Star is set to be installed in between the Stars of Breaking Bad’s Bob Odenkirk and Brian Cranston.

Richard said: “I’m just a kid from Torquay, to get a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is not something I ever thought was possible. I never dreamt my name would be with those greats.”

On the same day that Richard’s Hollywood Star is unveiled, he also released his new historical fiction book, Slapton Sands.

Based on the true events of Operation Tiger, the book is based on a romance between a US serviceman deployed in Slapton and a local girl.

“The book is a labour of love,” explained Richard.

“It's deeply personal to me as I grew up just a few miles from Slapton Sands, my parents would take me to Slapton to play on the beach. Back then it had all these signs, warning about unexploded ordnance.

He added: “There's that old phrase, if you forget the past you’re doomed to repeat it. That’s never been more true. For me, writing this book at this time was so important, so we never forget what those men fought for.”

Read next week’s Torbay Weekly for a full feature on Richard’s life from Torbay to LA.