Editing Alex Lester (section)

==Early life and career==
A [[Physician|doctor]]'s son, Lester was educated at [[Denstone College]], and worked in a variety of jobs (including at [[Dudley Zoo]], in a [[Public house|pub]], and as a [[civil service]] clerk), before he began his broadcasting career in 1977 for BBC local radio stations. He joined [[Radio Aire]] in [[Leeds]] in 1981.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mpce.com/Artists/Alex_Lester.html |title=Alex Lester &#124; MPC Entertainment – Number One for Entertainment and Sport |publisher=Mpce.com |access-date=4 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028174325/http://www.mpce.com/Artists/Alex_Lester.html |archive-date=28 October 2012}}</ref>

Later, he worked for other radio stations in the [[Independent Local Radio|commercial]] sector. These included [[Radio Tees]], based in [[Stockton-on-Tees]], where he worked from 1983 until 1986. At Radio Tees, on joining, he narrowly avoided an attempt by Canadian programme controller Donald Cline to rechristen him "Red" Lester. Lester went on to present, amongst others, the weekday lunchtime show and a specialist [[blues]] music programme there.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotees.co.uk/alexlester.htm|title=Radio Tees Tribute Site|publisher=Radiotees.co.uk|access-date=4 July 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714221208/http://www.radiotees.co.uk/alexlester.htm|archive-date=14 July 2014}}</ref>

In 1986, he returned to the BBC, presenting the breakfast show (indeed, the first show) on the newly opened [[BBC Essex]] based in [[Chelmsford]]. Lester joined Radio 2 in 1987 as an announcer and newsreader. He also presented the night-time show on a [[Schedule (workplace)|rota]] basis. In April 1992 he was given the early-morning show permanently.