Tom Odell, Tom Kerridge and the Rugby League World Cup

From comedian & writer Paul Kerensa:

As a radio hound Chris, you’ll no doubt have heard this week about DJ Deke Duncan, the shed-based broadcaster who for 44 years had an audience of one – his wife. Seriously jockin’ from his shed to his house, he’s just been given a one-hour radio show on BBC Three Counties – that’s two more counties than he’s had listeners till now.

Ledge-end-of-story! Such persistence! Such faithfulness of his only listener. It probably helped she won every competition and got every “How are you doing” shout-out. Just imagine, “The top tenuous, at ten, and at nine, and at eight… it’s Mrs Duncan from Gonville Crescent, again – and she’s on Popmaster later too.”

Mind you, I remember hosting a BBC Sussex and Surrey show, at 6am on a pitch-black Sunday, eagerly looking at the switchboard. Is anyone out there? But ask the right question, and the relief, when it lights up like a Christmas tree.

Truth is, it doesn’t matter how many are listening. Our human need is just that someone listens to us. One is infinitely more than zero.

My worst gig as a stand-up wasn’t full of hecklers. At least that’s communication, even if it’s “Taxi for the comedian”. The worst gig is when I was ignored, a slow wave of chat swamping the room. I stood there, channelling Lionel Richie: “Hello? Is it me you’re looking for? No? Oh, ok.”

I’m sure I prayed then, partly to know someone else was listening. Our human craving for communication may be why more than half of us pray, according to a recent survey. I reckon we’re not expecting instant results, a change to divine agenda, any more than we expect a tweet to alter government policy. We just want our thoughts heard, not by millions, but by one.

I don’t want to sound paranoid, but I hear this show has a few million ears listening in. But really it’s a conversation between two people, me and you – that’s all that matters. So I’m sure that although Deke Duncan will LOVE broadcasting his show to a wider audience after 44 years, really it’ll feel just as magical as when he was broadcasting to his wife, one person connecting with another, checking in, simply asking, “How are you doing?”