Print Comment Send newsitem

Aung San Suu Kyi meets the DJ who kept her going through years of house arrest

20 JUNE 2012 Aung San Suu Kyi has met radio DJ Dave Lee Travis, whose show gave her a lifeline while under house arrest.

On a visit to BBC Broadcasting House, the pro-democracy campaigner met the former Radio 1 DJ, whose show she listened to while in confinement.

CLICK ON PHOTO FOR FULL GALLERY

She also met the broadcaster's Director General on the visit to the BBC's Burmese Service, part of her four-day visit to Britain.

During the visit, Ms Suu Kyi briefly met Dave - known as the "Hairy Cornflake" - whose show she tuned into during 15 years spent at her parents' house in Rangoon.

The Nobel laureate has previously told how the BBC World Service request programme A Jolly Good Show - presented by the DJ for 20 years - was a lifeline during her time in confinement, saying it made her world "much more complete".

Dave told her: "It's just such a pleasure to meet you in person after all the nice things you said about the programme."

 

She replied that she was "thrilled" to have heard the voice of a Burmese boy on the show.

"Well that's the World Service," Dave answered. "It does what it says on the tin, and I am just glad to have been a part of the things that you listened to that helped you."

The DJ, who now has a show on Magic radio network, kissed Ms Suu Kyi on the hand, adding: "It's a real privilege to meet you."