Mikey Hughes  - Presenter of The Buzz and Broadcast Producer 

Michael with French and Saunders for a Daily Lunch 'Friday Feeling' special report.

Michael was brought up in Kilwinning, Ayrshire on the South West Coast of Scotland, in the county of Ayrshire and attended two mainstream schools; St. Luke's and St. Michael's. When Michael was about four years old his mother took him into a shop to buy some wool in order to knit him a jumper. The old shop assistant screamed at his mum:  

"Oh look at that boy's eyes, look at that boy's eyes... you better get him to an optician!" 

It turned out that Michael was shortsighted and needed glasses and yet, despite numerous appointments with opticians over the subsequent years, it was not spotted that Michael was suffering from a rare genetic condition known as Stickler's syndrome.    

Michael realised that he had lost his sight fully in his left eye when he was about seven, but he was too scared to tell his parents. Eventually a routine optician's appointment revealed the secret but despite an operation, the retina had completely detached and Michael was blind in his left eye. It was only due to Michael's mother insistence and several referrals that doctors discovered that the retina was detaching in his right eye as well. Without this diagnosis he would probably have gone blind within a year. An operation saved his sight.    

When Michael was fifteen, his retina started detaching again and a more serious operation followed which took four hours to reattach the retina. However when Michael was 23 he awoke from an operation to remove a cataract to discover his eye had hemorrhaged and he was left totally blind. His sighted days were over.  

Hear Michael on Who's Who on Insight Radio

He was referred to a RNIB rehabilitation centre where he learned technology that would allow him to become more independent. He was taught how to touch type and learned the screen reader JAWS, which allowed him to use a computer again.  

When Michael was sighted he was never out of work including stints as a Quality Controller during a work placement year in Denmark and as a Research Associate with Proctor and Gamble. However as a blind man it took him four years to get his first job as a researcher for the BBC Radio news programme Good Morning Scotland. After his 4 month placement, he was unemployed again for a further year and a half until Insight Radio was established. Had it not been for this project, Michael would probably still be at home and as he says "on the scrapheap."

The job at Insight Radio has given Michael a sense of purpose again and greatly improved his confidence.    

He says "I have interviewed a wide variety of people including politicians, celebrities and eminent eye surgeons.   But the people I want to make a difference to most are the ordinary blind and partially sighted people who are facing challenges everyday in getting the latest eye treatment, job opportunities or facing discrimination. Insight Radio helps to highlight these issues and demonstrates to other blind and partially sighted people that there is a station that will listen and hopefully help to change the system." 

"Working for Insight Radio has increased my confidence and skills and it's great to be working for a radio station that reduces isolation and helps to create a sense of community for blind and partially sighted people."

An Insight Into the World of Mikey Hughes    

When was your first show on Insight Radio?  

I can't remember the exact date, but it was about 2004 where I presented a programme discussing the problems that blind and partially sighted people had in accessing the medium care component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA).  

What's the best advice you've been given?  

I know it is a cliche in the media industry, but keep being persistent.  

What annoys you most?  

The smell of stale smoke.  

What has been your greatest achievement?  

Probably getting my MPhil Degree despite totally losing my sight half way through.  

Tell us one thing that Insight listeners would be surprised to  learn  about you?  

My middle name, which I never give out on air, is Grant, after my dad.  

What is your favourite album?  

My tastes have changed over the years, but I have never tired of The Final Cut by Pink Floyd.  

What is your favourite film?  

The Doors, I like films based on biography.  

Who has been the most famous person you've met?  

Oh, fame is always dependent on who is in at a particular time, but probably between Cannon and Ball and French and Saunders.  

What has been your most embarrassing moment?  

There have been many, one springs to mind, certainly too rude to tell you here! Let's go for a few drinks and I'll let you know!  

Describe your perfect day.  

A long lie, snuggling up with my kitten, listening to music and stuffing my face.