A North East BBC radio presenter has bid farewell to his listeners after ten years of weekend broadcasts after completing his final show. 

Paul ‘Goffy’ Gough said an emotional farewell on Sunday (October 29) as he dedicated his final song, ‘The Carnival is Over’, to his late mam Bridget.

The former Century Radio and Metro Radio star, said: “I’ve been on the air for 30 years and my lovely Mam, sadly never heard me on the radio – but she is always with me and I know how much she loved The Seekers with Judith Durham and their 1967 hit The Carnival is Over.

Get the latest news, sports, and entertainment delivered straight to your device, for just £3 for 3 months, click here

"It just felt right to end a fantastic decade with that song.”

The farewell show featured many reflections including Middlesbrough-born music icon Chris Rea recalling his days around the Teesside area – from his times as a child living on Ayresome Street above his parent's shop and being fascinated when seeing the lights in the distance at Ayresome Park (Middlesbrough Football Club) shining brightly and wanting to be inside the ground so much.

The show also featured tributes to people who had influenced Goffy along his journey including his former English Martyrs School (Hartlepool) teacher Alan Wright who had encouraged him to pursue the radio route in his teenage years.

Others highlighted were Stockton-born radio presenter Alastair Pirrie, fellow BBC Radio Tees presenter Colin Bunyan, former Tyne Tees TV presenter Bill Steel, BBC Radio Tees listeners who had sadly passed away during his ten years at the station (many due to Covid), memories of working alongside the legendary Middlesbrough FC commentator Alastair Brownlee, and his late boss John Myers who gave him his first show on Century Radio in 1994 which would lead to the long-running and hugely successful ‘Goffy in the Morning’.

The radio presenter added: “It was a perfect way to end and it allowed me to reflect on how lucky I had been to have such great people around me through my many years on air.

"The listeners have always been super special and their messages, cards, wishes and presents made it a show that I won’t forget. I told them that I would be back with them at some stage and there is loads to go at yet!

Most read:

“Many of the songs included in my final show had powerful links and connections to my listeners via memories of their record collections, emotional attachments that have stuck with them and stories that they have shared with me through so many programmes – they are and always will be the number one in my focus!”

Goffy was due to leave the station earlier this year when he announced on air that he would be exiting, his boss, BBC Tees Managing Editor Dan Thorpe, persuaded him to stay and see through his 10-year milestone with the station which he duly completed.

Goffy said that he would be taking a short break but would return to the spotlight soon.