Pete Price has spoken out about his departure from Liverpool Live, describing the experience as 'a slap in the face' after months of chasing unpaid wages. The 80-year-old broadcaster, who joined the station in 2020, worked there for approximately two years before leaving.
Price's comments follow reports that fellow presenters Linda McDermott, Billy Butler, Roger Lyon and Frankie Connor have also quit in recent months, collectively claiming they are owed thousands of pounds. Price told the ECHO he encountered similar payment issues during his tenure.
'Half way through working for him, I was chasing my money up all the time and I wasn't getting paid. I was owed a month's wages. Then I eventually got it, I didn't get it again,' Price said. 'I've been in this industry for 60 years, I've worked at major clubs where you had to wait six weeks for your money.'
He added: 'I was just getting a strange feeling. I was getting disheartened and I was sick of chasing my money and saying, "how much longer?" I've never had to do that on scale. If I work for someone, I want to get paid. End of story.'
Price's arrival and growing disillusionment
Price was approached by Liverpool Live managing director Rod Keay to take over the Sunday night slot shortly after leaving Radio City. 'They were chasing me for a while. I was very flattered. I loved the idea of doing something once a week and I was so happy in radio. I mourned for six months when I left City. It was like a death,' he recalled.
Despite a positive start, Price said the situation deteriorated. The final straw came when he waited three months to receive payment. 'It just came to a head and I thought, "enough is enough". If you don't pay me I'm leaving. Eventually after three months of chasing him, I got the money and then I left. I was really angry about the way I'd been treated.'
Exploitation of seasoned broadcasters
Price expressed sadness over the station's direction, particularly regarding the exits of McDermott and Butler. 'He's exploited the three of us. He was incredibly lucky to get three amazing local broadcasters. We all took a cut in wages, we weren't earning big money in any shape or form. We've all made a nice living out of radio. We're all mates.'
The DJs claim they had a verbal agreement for an informal invoice process, with payment on a show-by-show basis. Price noted he was accustomed to such arrangements from his days as a comic, where a handshake signified respect. 'I thought he would respect me. I was incredibly sad and incredibly disappointed. It has been a slap in the face for all of us.'
Studio closure and missed potential
Liverpool Live broadcast from Norfolk Street in the Baltic Triangle. However, Roger Lyon claimed the city centre studio is no longer in use, prompting him to quit in April as he had no interest in broadcasting from home. Lyon, who presented on Radio Merseyside for 36 years, told the ECHO: 'Frankie [Connor] and I said, "That's not what we signed up to do." We haven't got the facilities at home to do it, nor have we got the inclination.'
Lyon said he has heard nothing from Keay since quitting and is still owed £1,450. He lamented the station's unfulfilled potential: 'We worked out the other day that the four of us have got 140-150 years broadcasting experience at the Beeb. If he had promoted it properly and targeted the station as a replacement for Radio Merseyside, he would have done well with it. It was such a massive missed opportunity.'
Liverpool Live has been approached for comment.
