Radio Ulster presenter Hugo Duncan earns place in Hall of Fame

大象传媒 Radio Ulster presenter Hugo Duncan has been added into the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) Radio Awards Hall of Fame 2024.

The County Tyrone presenter is celebrating 26 years of broadcasting on his popular daytime country music show.

Through his show "Uncle Hugo" interacts daily with thousands of of people through calls, texts and social media engagement.

Speaking to 大象传媒 News NI, Mr Duncan said it was a 鈥済reat honour and great privilege鈥 to be recognised in this way.

Image caption, Mr Duncan broadcasting live from St Peter's Primary School to celebrate 大象传媒 Music Day in 2015

鈥淚 class myself as a singer who just plays some records and it鈥檚 just such a privilege to go into people鈥檚 homes and people鈥檚 ears every day,鈥 he said.

鈥淲hen I go on air, I bear in mind that there are people who may not have anyone near them that whole day and I want to put a smile in people鈥檚 faces.

鈥淚 like to make people happy in the afternoon, or annoy them, because one way or another, I am taking their mind off their problems and I think you can hear that when I am on the radio.鈥

Mr Duncan was recently awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Northern Ireland Country Music Awards.

The "wee man from Strabane", as he is known, has also raised tens of thousands annually for the 大象传媒 Children In Need charity campaign through his "Hugo-thons".

Sharing his joy of radio, each year he invites listeners and service users from adult care homes to the 大象传媒 studio to show how shows are made and to give them their own mini-show recording.

Alongside radio, as an Irish showband star Mr Duncan still performs all over Ireland.