Tonight. Steel continued his work as a features reporter until the end of 1996, when his contract with Tyne Tees was not renewed. Radio While working in the Tyne Tees newsroom, Steel was also a presenter on local radio. In 1973, he became the first breakfast show presenter of the North East's first commercial radio station, Metro Radio. Later, he went on to present The Bill Steel Show for BBC Radio Newcastle. In 1994, Steel began presenting a weekly Sunday afternoon request programme for Gateshead-based Century FM. His work for the regional station later expanded into other weekend and evening slots. He continued presenting overnight shows at the weekend for Century until these were replaced with networked programming from Manchester in 2008. Acting As an actor, Steel developed a theatre career which included a nationwide tour of Side by Side by Sondheim, where he replaced Ned Sherrin as its narrator. He later performed as Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady, the lead role of Herbie in Gypsy and The Dancing Years. In 1997, he returned to television with an eight-month stint as Bernard McKenna in the ITV soap Coronation Street. That same year, he also appeared in Tyne Tees' adaptation of Catherine Cookson's The Rag Nymph as Mr. Sponge, the night school teacher. After retiring from Tyne Tees, he still enjoyed occasional work as an actor. In April 2021, Steel's son Christian told BBC News that his father was suffering from Alzheimer's disease and was receiving end-of-life care. References 1939 births Living people English television presenters English male television actors Radio and television announcers Alumni of Durham University