Suu Kyi meets 'lifeline' radio DJ (From This is Hampshire)

Suu Kyi meets 'lifeline' radio DJ

4:14pm Tuesday 19th June 2012 in Entertainment News © Press Association 2013

Aung San Suu Kyi has met radio DJ Dave Lee Travis, whose show gave her a lifeline while under house arrest.

On a visit to BBC Broadcasting House in central London, the pro-democracy campaigner met the former Radio 1 DJ, whose BBC World Service show she listened to while in confinement.

She also met the BBC's Director General Mark Thompson and BBC Trust Chairman Lord Patten on the visit to the BBC's Burmese Service, part of her four-day historic visit to Britain.

During the visit, Ms Suu Kyi briefly met Travis - once known as the "Hairy Cornflake" - whose show she tuned into during her confinement at her parents' house in Rangoon.

The Nobel laureate has previously told how the BBC World Service music request programme A Jolly Good Show - presented by Travis for 20 years - was a lifeline during her time under house arrest, saying it made her world "much more complete".

During their brief meeting, when asked if she knew who Travis was, Ms Suu Kyi said: "I know, I heard you yesterday."

The DJ told her: "It's just such a pleasure to meet you in person after all the nice things you said about the programme."

She told him she was once "thrilled" to have heard the voice of a Burmese boy on the programme.

"Well that's the World Service," Travis replied. "It does what it says on the tin, and I am just glad to have been a part of the things that you listened to that helped you."

The DJ, who now has a show on Magic radio network, kissed Ms Suu Kyi on the hand, adding: "It's a real privilege to meet you."