Mike Elliott

Michael Elliott (17 July 1946 – 23 December 2014), also known as Mike the Mouth, was an English comedian, actor, television presenter and radio personality.

Early life Elliott was born in Sunderland. He attended St Cuthbert's RC Primary in Grindon, Sunderland, and St Aidan's RC Grammar School in Ashbrooke, Sunderland. He later taught English and Drama at Hartlepool's Dyke House School. In January 2000, he was taken off the air in the middle of his show, following an expletive-filled outburst at a caller. However, Elliott claimed that his "strange behavior" was caused by combining two glasses of wine during a family meal with the cold remedies Benylin and Night Nurse.

In December 2002, a new Mike Elliott radio show launched on North East Magic Radio in the same slot as his previous program. However, on MW, it failed to gain the same number of listeners that the Century FM series had achieved and Elliott was released from his contract in July 2003. In December 2003, Elliott went back on air on Sunderland's Sun FM. In January 2006, the series was re-branded North South Divided, pitching the northern stations of the Local Radio Company against their southern counterparts. Broadcast over almost 30 stations, this was the first time listeners outside of the North East had a taste of Elliott, alongside another presenter, Alex Dyke (who was later replaced by Carol McGiffin). On 5 July 2006, North South Divided ended.

Death On 23 December 2014, Elliott died of esophageal cancer at age 68.