Simon Pauley  - Broadcast Producer and Presenter of the Morning Mix    

Simon in Studio 1, with producer Barry Snell in the background

Simon was born in Nottingham to mum and dad, Sheila and John, and he has two older sisters, Janet and Eileen. He moved to Scotland with his family in 1969 when he was five.  At the age of 15 Simon started sensing blind spots in his vision believing it to be migraines at first.

On further investigation Simon was told he had Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy, a form of macular degeneration,  and it was thought that he would go blind within a year of the diagnosis.  His parents were devastated and because the doctors could offer no help, Simon's Dad travelled all over, trying to find a therapy that might help.  Simon says, "œI don't know if any of these therapies helped, but I do know that the deterioration slowed down markedly. I now realise that the majority people I meet with the same eye disease as me seem to have had more severe sight problems at an earlier age."  

Simon is a keen musician and says of his early education, "At school I was an average student but I always had a keen interest in music. I'll never forget the day that my Dad gave me the keys to the boot of the car when I was15 years old where I found a brand new tenor saxophone which I have played with gusto ever since, well at least until It fell apart during a recent gig!"  

Simon Pauley playing live with the Runk Collective

After leaving school, Simon had a number of jobs including a stint as an electronics test technician and as a wall cavity insulation engineer. When he was 19, he started his own business in industrial cleaning which he ran until his deteriorating sight caused him to give the business up in 2004.  At this time Simon hit rock bottom, homeless with no money or benefits and wondering what he would do with the rest of his life, he believed that nothing was fun or worth doing anymore. That's when he stumbled upon Insight Radio.  

Simon on the who's who on Insight Radio feature

Simon says, "All through my life I had loved radio, but never thought that I'd be able to get involved with it myself. Insight Radio encouraged me to take my first steps as a presenter and I discovered I had "a new tune" to sing - I actually call this my second life!  

Over the past four years Simon has been gradually getting his life back, helped by the fact that he really enjoys producing and presenting a show on Insight Radio. He says "œI feel so privileged to have been able to talk with so many people who have inspired me with their life stories, showing me that there is almost nothing you can't do if you really want to, you just have to find a way."  

In his spare time, Simon is back on the road with his music again, playing saxophone and gigging with a few bands. He also volunteers at one of the local children's hospital's helping to make the children's stay in hospital a little easier.  Simon wants to carry on with his career in radio. He says, "I don't have a plan for the rest of my life, I just want to keep on learning, meeting new people, playing music and having fun - quite simple really!"  

An Insight into the World of Simon Pauley    

When was your first show on Insight Radio?  

February 2007. I was absolutely terrified, I still have shades of that when I go on air now!  

What's the best advice you've been given?  

Never judge people.  

What annoys you most?  

Reality TV or Mobile Phones on the bus.  

What has been your greatest achievement?  

Securing a job that I actually really love, instead of a mundane job that just pays the bills.  

Tell us one thing that Insight listeners would be surprised to  learn  about you?  

I hope to pilot a plane later in 2008, from take off to landing it.  

What is your favourite album?  

Pink Floyd's "The Wall." It was such a groundbreaking album technically and musically and there has been times in my life when I could completely relate to aspects and emotions explored in the album.  

What is your favourite film?  

"The Fisher King"I love Jeff Bridges as an actor and it's such a modern fairytale but with a dark edge.  

Who has been the most famous person you've met?  

Guitar legend Jeff Healey. He was very down to Earth, very quiet and polite and extremely tall! He was such a gentleman and it was great to see such a guitar virtuoso play live.    

What has been your most embarrassing moment?  

When I asked a girl that I knew, who was pregnant, when her baby was due, not knowing she'd given birth 6 months earlier.

Describe your perfect day.  

I love going on what I call, a music journey listening to music of all types with a nice bottle of red wine and then going out to play a gig with my band.