Tributes have been paid to broadcasting legend Trevor (Big T) Campbell who died recently
Mr Campbell was one of Downtown Radio’s original presenters joining the station when it was set up at Kiltonga, Newtownards in 1976.
He presented a popular country music show and in recent years headlined a nightly show at 7pm on Downtown Country – he presented his last show on Thursday, November 14.
A post on Downtown Radio’s Facebook site said they were ‘incredibly saddened’ to announce that their ‘friend and colleague’ Trevor Campbell has passed away at the age of 78. “We will miss you greatly,” the post continued. “Rest in peace Big T”.
Before joining Downtown, Mr Campbell was also a regular DJ at the Town’n’Country, in Newtownards in the 1970s.
“Doors opened at 7.30pm and by then the people were already queuing up,” he wrote in an article published in 2016.
“It was the early days of the Troubles and people from Newtownards were reluctant to travel to Belfast – city people also travelled in great numbers to Newtownards and to the T’n’C in particular/”
Mr Campbell also presented a Sunday afternoon show on hospital radio in Newtownards before he became a regular presenter at Downtown.
Strangford MLA Kellie Armstrong worked at Downtown Radio/CoolFM in the 1990s for a five year period. She described Mr Campbell as a ‘lovely man’.
“Big T was one of the stars of Downtown Radio but was so kind to newbies like me,” she recalled.
“I might only have been in his studio for a short time to change an advert cassette, but he always said ‘hello’ and asked me if I had everything I needed”.
Irish singer and television show host Daniel O’Donnell described Mr Campbell as ‘a giant in radio’ who ‘lived and breathed country music’. He said he had spoken with Mr Campbell on the radio as recently as October.
“I first met him in The Chimney Corner,” Mr O’Donnell said – Big T was a regular DJ at The Chimney Corner. “He was in my corner from that day,” he said.
Expressing sadness at Mr Campbell’s passing, country music singer Nathan Carter described him as ‘radio royalty’, adding Mr Campbell had been one of the first people to interview him on radio.
“Thanks for all the times you introduced me on stage, all the interviews and all the plays,” he said.
A service to celebrate the life of Trevor Campbell took place onWednesday, November 27 at 2pm in Moneyreagh Non Subscribing Presbyterian Church followed by committal in the adjoining graveyard.
