Northern Soul Radio — Station News

A Living Legend Comes Home: Richard Searling Joins Northern Soul Radio

One of the original Wigan Casino residents brings five decades of passion — and an extraordinary 1,400-hour archive of broadcasting — to the station.

Northern Soul Radio  •  March 2026

Northern Soul Radio is thrilled to announce that Richard Searling BEM — one of the most iconic names in the history of Northern Soul — has joined our family. And he isn’t arriving empty-handed.

Richard is bringing with him an astonishing personal archive of 1,400 hours of recorded shows: a treasure trove that represents decades of broadcasting, rare recordings, and an unparalleled depth of knowledge about the music we all love. For Northern Soul Radio listeners, this is nothing short of a landmark moment.

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“This archive is a living history of Northern Soul on the airwaves — and now it belongs to all of us.”

Richard Searling needs little introduction to anyone who has spent time on the Northern Soul scene. As a resident DJ at the legendary Wigan Casino from January 1974 right through to its closure in September 1981, he was at the absolute epicentre of the movement during its golden era. His ability to read a dancefloor, sequence a night with precision, and unearth records nobody else had heard became the stuff of Northern Soul legend.

Among his most celebrated contributions to the scene was introducing Gloria Jones’ “Tainted Love” to the scene after a record-buying trip to the United States in 1973 — first at Va Va’s in Bolton, then at the Casino itself. That single story alone tells you everything about the man’s instincts and dedication to the music.

Away from the decks, Richard has been a tireless advocate for Northern Soul culture. He has written extensively for Blues & Soul magazine, hosted soul programmes on BBC Radio Manchester, BBC Radio Lancashire and Solar Radio, and collaborated on the critically acclaimed Mastercuts and Soul Sauce compilation series. In 2019, his contribution to soul music was formally recognised with the award of the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Honours List — a fitting acknowledgement of a career that has shaped the genre for generations.

Now, that extraordinary body of work finds its most fitting home. The 1,400-hour archive Richard is bringing to Northern Soul Radio represents shows spanning multiple decades: a unique record of how the music sounded, how it was presented, and how it grew — from the all-nighter era through to the present day. We will be working with Richard to bring these recordings to you in the weeks and months ahead.

Richard’s shows will be broadcast on Northern Soul Radio, and we’ll be announcing scheduling details very soon. In the meantime, tune in, stay locked on, and get ready — because something very special is just around the corner.

Welcome to Northern Soul Radio, Richard. It’s an honour to have you.

Northern Soul Radio — Broadcasting the Sound That Never Stood Still