Legendary DJ and recently-appointed iHus ambassador Tony Blackburn says he has no plans to hang up the mic, as he celebrates his 80th birthday.
Tony turns 80 on 29th January, but says that retirement is the furthest from his mind as he continues to pursue a busy schedule of media commitments, including his popular Sounds of the 60s show on BBC Radio 2.
Blackburn’s history with the BBC stretches back an incredible seven decades, to 1967, when he received his first opportunity with the national broadcaster presenting the BBC Light Programme, the precursor to what listeners know today as Radio 1 and Radio 2.
The BBC will mark Tony’s magnificent milestone with a show in his honour, but the tributes are far from being a farewell to the popular broadcaster, who says retirement is yet to factor into his thinking.
“I’m simply having too much fun to retire, through my show on Radio 2 and the various other projects I am fortunate enough to share with others of my generation, such as the Sounds of the 60s live tour, which I’m having tremendous fun with.”
As a champion for multi-generational living, Tony is a strong advocate for promoting the best possible quality of life for UK residents approaching their senior years, which is in keeping with iHus’s own mission to empower families in starting exciting new chapters in their lives through stylish, independent living solutions.
“The solutions that iHus provide are absolutely perfect for families wishing to spend time in a mutli-generational setting with an elderly relative, while offering independence, privacy, safety and peace of mind,” says Tony, whose own mother-in-law is a proud iHus annexe resident.
“There is a lingering perception that later years in life must coincide with slowing down, or even given up a life’s passion, but my philosophy is quite the opposite.
“I have been fortunate enough to make a living from my passion for broadcasting for most of my adult life, and I very much believe that being able to continue practising that passion has and will continue to benefit me.
“Keeping your mind active, challenging yourself and filling your days with activities that stimulate the senses are vital, in my view, to helping you enjoy the best possible life in later years.
“I also think it’s important to keep loved ones close, while also retaining independence, and iHus strikes a truly marvellous balance in this area.”
Retirement continues to be a hot topic in mainstream media and is understandably an emotive and highly relatable topic to millions of UK families.
For some, the current cost of living crisis threatens our ability to retire from a job, and sacrifice vital income, while recent headlines have speculated that the UK Government could seek to raise the national pension age far sooner than initially pledged.
And as a broadcaster who has built much of his career around building warm relationships with his listeners, Tony has a close insight into many of the issues faced.
“I recognise how fortunate I am to be in the position I am, and for me the decision to delay retirement is born out of my continued passion for broadcasting, but I know that for many retirement simply isn’t a realistic prospect financially.
“The cost of providing care to the UK’s ageing generation seems to be rising all the time, facing many families with incredible challenges at a time when the cost of everyday living is already high, which is why it’s so important that we have honest and serious conversations with loved ones.
“And I am proud that iHus is one of the biggest voices in that conversation, and that their work has helped to unlock a wonderful new chapter for families.
“They are also one of the UK’s foremost champions of concepts like multi-generational living, which the numbers show can save families money in the long-term when compared to traditional care provision.”
