Ashley Byrne


Ashley A Byrne is a radio and television presenter, newsreader and producer. He was born on 13 November 1972 in Doncaster, England. His father is the British artist, Tony Byrne.
He is a regular presenter of the BBC World Service history programmes Witness and Sporting Witness. He was previously presenter of current affairs programme 'Citizen Manchester LGBT' on BBC Radio Manchester and has also presented the news on BBC and commercial radio stations across the North of England and Midlands including Smooth Radio, Century, Lincs FM, TFM, BBC Radio Manchester, BBC North West, Imagine FM, Signal Cheshire and The Pulse of West Yorkshire. He has also presented on BBC Radio 3 and narrated documentaries for ITV.
Byrne is Creative Director of the successful radio production company, Made in Manchester which he set up with business partner James Hickman, the five-times World Butterfly Swimming Champion in May 2005.
Programmes either produced or executive produced by Byrne for Made in Manchester include:
YearTitlePresenterStations
2006Another Fine Mess: 80 Years of Laurel and HardyNorman WisdomBBC Radio 2
2006Cartoon KingsDavid JasonITV1
2006From Bomb to BooAshley ByrneITV1
2006Citizen Manchester StrandVariousBBC Radio Manchester
2007Jah Wobble's Mystical Musical TourJah WobbleBBC World Service
2007Laughter and Tears: The Les Dawson StoryJo BrandBBC Radio 2
2007I Got Up Out of My SeatDavid FrostBBC Radio 4
2008Salt N Pepa: Push ItMista JamBBC 1Xtra
2008Brass BritainStephen TompkinsonBBC Radio 2
2008Giving Way to a New EraJohn SergeantBBC Radio 4
2008In Search of ForgivenessJulie NicholsonBBC Radio 4
2008How AIDS Changed AmericaPaul Michael GlaserBBC Radio 2
2008Pacific Ocean Blues: The Life and Death of Dennis WilsonRoger DaltreyBBC Radio 2
2008Ali Abbas: In His Own WordsHugh SykesBBC Radio 4
2009Gay Life After SaddamAasmah MirBBC Radio 5Live
2009In Search of SidJah WobbleBBC Radio 4
2009Walking with WhitmanStuart MaconieBBC Radio 4
2009In Search of the Wantley DragonIan McMillanBBC Radio 4
2009Dick Emery: The Comedy of Errors?David WalliamsBBC Radio 2
2009Benny Hill: The Untold StoryBen MillerBBC Radio 2
2009Lead Belly: A Secret History of Rock and RollEric BurdonBBC Radio 2

In December 2007, Byrne managed to get Archbishop Desmond Tutu to apologise on behalf of the Anglican Church for the way in which some clergy had treated the world's LGBT community.
In April 2009, Made in Manchester came runner up in the Best Production Company in the North 'How Do' Awards
In May 2009, Byrne's 'Giving Way to a New Era' was nominated for a prestigious Sony Award.
In July 2009, Byrne's 'Gay Life After Saddam' for 5Live was described by the press as 'The BBC at its Best' after it uncovered a catalogue of murder and torture being carried out against gay and trans Iraqis since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.
In October 2009, Byrne's company Made in Manchester embarked on a pioneering experiment to promote and premiere new audio drama via The UK's Independent newspaper. Turing's Test rose as high as number 7 in its category on the iTunes downloads chart. Subsequent dramas have included Death in Genoa starring Simon Callow as Oscar Wilde and Suzie Pugh and a Monster Too. It's thought more dramas may be on the cards and Byrne has expressed his ambition to create 'a new high-profile platform' for drama and comedy on the web.
Byrne is also a Director of RIG, the Radio Independents Trade Body and has been leading a campaign to persuade the BBC to commission more radio programming from outside London.