Dave Cash

The story

In 1964 pirate radio began broadcasting from ships anchored in international waters. They revolutionised radio, playing the popular music that young people wanted to hear 24 hours a day. The BBC at the time were only providing half an hour per week.

Forty-five years later The Boat That Rocked sails onto our cinema screens. It's been written and directed by Richard Curtis - the man behind Notting Hill and Love Actually.

Dave Cash & Tony Benn

The MP

In the 1960s the pirates were all about the music and the DJs who played it were stars. But it wasn't to last long, three years later the ships were closed down by the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act. The person responsible for seeing this Bill through was Tony Benn who was Postmaster General from 1964 to 1966.

Radio Kent's Dave Cash was a pirate radio DJ on Radio London, he met Tony Benn and asked him why he worked for the closure of the pirates. Tony told Dave the then Prime Minister "Harold Wilson rang me and said what are you doing about the pirates, I'm listening to them".

The film

The Boat That Rocked is a comedy set on a 1960s pirate radio ship broadcasting 'Radio Rock' to its teenage fans. It stars a wealth of British actors including Bill Nighy, Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh, Rhys Ifans and Nick Frost. 

Richard Curtis & Dave Cash

The director

Dave Cash met Richard Curtis who wrote and directed the film and asked him what his memories were of listening to the pirates.

The actors

Dave also met with Bill Nighy who plays Quentin, the man in charge of 'Radio Rock' in the film.

And Nick Frost who plays Dr Dave in The Boat That Rocked told Dave Cash about presenting a real radio show for the film.

The photos