Errol Bruce – Nostalgia Central

Born in October 1942,  Errol Bruce Knapp spent his youth around military bases (his father was a Canadian serving in the British Army). His first taste of broadcasting occurred as a child, when he was selected to host a weekly children’s request show on a forces radio station.

He joined the Royal Signal Corps and, after being discharged from the army in 1963, he moved to London.

In 1964, he responded to an advertisement from Radio Caroline looking for fresh radio talent, auditioned successfully, and was hired. Bruce served as the station’s “all-night jock” and was one of the few DJs to broadcast from both the Northern and Southern Caroline pirate ships.

In 1966, he moved to Swinging Radio England, which was modelled after the fast-paced, high-energy American Top 40 stations.

In this fast-moving, high-octane environment, the relaxed Errol Bruce became the manic “Bosscat” Bruce.

He was one of the final DJs on board the ship MV Laissez-Faire when the station went off the air in November 1966 as a result of the British government outlawing pirate radio operations.

He eventually returned to Canada, where he enjoyed a long career on the radio, working as a host on stations including CKFH, CHUM-FM, Q107, and the CBC.

Errol experienced complications following heart surgery and ultimately succumbed to a lung infection, aged 73. He died on 11 August 2016 in Ontario, Canada.