VIBErations Episode 50 - Pete Beilby-King

Established in 2018 - VIBE is a Book & Music shop situated in Mui Wo on Lantau Island in Hong Kong.

Back in May, it didn’t take me or my wife Stef long to think about who my special guest should be for this 50th edition of my VIBErations podcast interviews.

When I asked him if he could supply me with his BIO, he mumbled a bit, went quiet for a few weeks and finally admitted that he didn’t have one…but he welcomed my offer to piece one together for him…

RTHK Radio Presenter Peter Beilby-King (Pete to everyone who knew him) studied at the Royal Air Force College, before becoming an apprentice in the Royal Air Force from 1971 to 1974. He went on to work at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, and then The Royal Corps of Transport in Aldershot.

In 1983 his military career merged into BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Service) allowing him to make the career jump across to DJ at The London Town Discotheques in Frankfurt and Hamburg, before moving to Heliopolis in Al Quahirah, Egypt. In 1985, he first arrived in Hong Kong, settled down in Sai Kung and started his 1st role at RTHK. Four years later he got the travel bug again and rejoined BFBS in Cyprus, then the Falkland Islands. He remained working with BFBS on and off up until 1997 and the Hong Kong handover which he covered with them. In 1990 he joined the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation, interviewing Lee Kuan Yew, then moved to Darwin 4 years later.

2000 saw him back in Hong Kong at RTHK, where he’s been ever since, presenting ‘Pete’s Magical Mystery Tour’

His passport would have been pretty well thumbed by then…

In his own words he says he is ‘a Radio Presenter, who enjoys a quiet private life, but also loves being with his friends and having a good night out!’ He is quite philosophical and loves thinking about life, the universe and everything in it.

He’s easy to get on with, but doesn’t suffer fools gladly, of which he says he’s met a few in his time! This interview was recorded on 25th May, one week after VIBE’s 6th birthday which he attended, and where he lit up the room with his impromptu charity auction for the Water Buffalo of Lantau.

I didn’t appreciate at the time of asking Pete if I could interview him for VIBErations podcast 50th special edition that throughout his life he had refused pretty much ALL interviews. Other than an interview he did with Annemarie Evans for the RTHK Heritage program back in 2018, I can’t find any other interviews…?

https://www.rthk.hk/radio/radio3/prog...

He asked me several times post interview if I’d finished it yet, saying he knew he’d ‘waffled on a bit’ and offering to re-record bits wherever necessary. The truth was I knew it would take some editing and just hadn’t got round to starting. After a lot of thought, I decided not to edit this one, but just let it flow, as easy it was to talk to him like an old mate ‘down the pub’ or in this case at VIBE before opening time…

So here is the unedited version, which my Jack Russel Eeva also attended, along with Phil Whelan whom Pete had introduced and mentored into RTHK 24 years ago.

Sadly, after a period of illness Pete left us on Saturday 6th July 2024, aged 69 years.

I had a lot of respect for Pete, and I always enjoyed having a drink & a laugh with him.

I will miss you, dear friend…

I’d like to dedicate this interview to Pete’s partner, Grace and to his family…