Steve Penk, the radio DJ famous for his wind-up calls on Manchester's Piccadilly Key 103 in the 1990s, is back with a new ITV digital-first series, 'Steve Penk's Animal Radio FM', where AI animals recreate his most famous pranks.
From Manchester Legend to National Fame
Penk's wind-up calls became a daily ritual for thousands of listeners, with stories of factories shutting down and families stopping everything to listen. His success led to national radio at Capital FM, TV roles, and even a prank call to then Prime Minister Tony Blair, which was acknowledged in the House of Commons.
The new series, set in a surreal animated world, features a pirate radio station run by animals. Cats, rats, chickens, and other eccentric creatures broadcast chaos to unsuspecting human callers, reliving some of Penk's most outrageous prank calls.
How It All Began
Penk recalls that the wind-ups started when he presented the breakfast show on Piccadilly Key 103. He would call up and apply for jobs advertised in the Manchester Evening News, asking silly questions. The first call was about a Russian tank for sale, asking if it came with a baby seat. The reaction was so strong that listeners began writing in to request wind-ups on their friends and family.
Penk says, "People would actually stop whatever they were doing to listen to the calls. I heard stories that factories would actually turn off the machines and everyone would stop working to listen, offices would stop working to listen, people would pull over on the hard shoulder of the motorway to listen, people would get to work but then stay sat in the car to listen to the wind-ups - it was extraordinary, that was as powerful as local radio gets."
Reinventing the Pranks for the Digital Age
ITV Studios' Creative Network approached Penk about the new show, which combines nostalgia, cutting-edge technology, and absurdist humour. The series uses production design and AI image and video generation by James Abadi of Abadi Films. It is now available on dedicated YouTube and TikTok channels.
Penk said, "These calls have entertained audiences for years, but seeing them brought to life in this completely unexpected way is something else entirely. The Animal Radio world is weird, funny, slightly unhinged and unlike anything I've seen before. I think fans of the original calls are going to love it."
Looking Back and Moving Forward
Penk, now 64, says the plan is for almost all his wind-ups to feature eventually, including the infamous Tony Blair call. He recalls meeting the Queen at Windsor Castle, where she wanted to talk about the calls. He laughs, "That was a surreal moment bonding with the queen over wind-up phone calls."
Reflecting on the pranks, he says, "It was always taken afterwards in the way it was intended. I described it as gentle kick in the shins." He shares a touching story of a woman whose father loved a wind-up so much that the call was played at his funeral.
On AI criticism, Penk defends the project: "It's not taking any work from anybody, because the audio is already done. It's not like AI is creating the audio, so I think for a project like this AI is absolutely perfect."
Penk continues to broadcast on Manchester's Happy Radio and remains excited about new projects. 'Steve Penk's Animal Radio FM' is on YouTube and TikTok now, with new episodes being added.
