Meet the DJ enjoying a 'second shot' at life with a dream of bringing radio to Honiton

A radio DJ and seasoned entertainer, who moved to Honiton after a near fatal incident, is looking at ways to set up a community radio station for the town.

Mark McGrath, 51, is something of a medical marvel having survived a severe brain infection three years ago.

It happened in Bournemouth, where he lived all his life, before he and his wife moved to Honiton in 2018 to be with family.

Mark explained: "To be honest I'm lucky to still be here and I owe my life to the incredible care I received from the NHS.

"After suffering with a terrible headache and confusion, I had a sudden seizure and was rushed into hospital.

"They kept me under for four days, in a kind of induced coma to reduce the swelling before I underwent brain surgery.

"Recovery took months, but I'm as close to back to normal now as I can be. I do suffer from some fatigue and my wife tells me I need to know when to chill out a bit."

Having been in the entertainment industry all his life, as a professional pianist and TV and film extra, Mark was reestablishing his career playing weddings and gigs when the pandemic hit.

Now he is looking at the viability of a radio station dedicated to Honiton.

"I'm currently volunteering as a DJ for Radio Scarborough, which is run by my brother, who I only met a year ago after a long search into my family tree," he continued.

"This made me think that a 'Radio Honiton' station might be a great idea for the community.

"I feel Honiton would benefit from something locally based, and as well as highlighting local news stories, it would also simply bring a smile to local people's faces – I'd love to get involved with bringing that to our town."

Mark is eager to find work, now that he has recovered, and is looking for a way he can earn money while providing entertainment for people.

"Unfortunately, I am not in a financial position to fund the set up of a local radio station. But it is something I'd love to do and would be happy to present and produce shows for.

"It would need advertisers and sponsors, and if there was enough interested parties involved, I feel it's something that as a town we might be able to bring to life."