Mike Nicholls: need for speed
We were delighted to take a phone call this week from Mike Nicholls, part of Melbourne radio royalty.
Mike, now 75, is son of the radio legends ‘Nicky’ (Clifford Nicholls Whitta) and Nancy Lee.
In the early 1970s, Mike built his own radio career at 3AK, as part of programmer Rhett Walker’s ‘Where No Wrinklies Fly’ campaign.
In those heady days, Mike – with long hair – featured in the radio station’s publicity, riding a motor-cycle, and pictured by legendary GTV9-3AK photographer Barrie Bell.
These days life is less kind. Mike spends considerable time each year in hospital because of respiratory problems. He has spent the best part of the past five years living in lockdown because of his sensitivity to illness.
‘Nicky’ and Nancy Lee featured on 3AW in the 1930s. later at 3AW and 3KZ, and then finally in the morning session at 3UZ, with a young Graham Kennedy as sidekick.
After his untimely death in 1956, Nancy Lee continued a career on television.
Pictured: TV star Graham Kennedy with Mike Nicholls.
