Chris Needs

Christopher Needs, MBE (12 March 1954 – 26 July 2020) was a Welsh radio broadcaster and presenter on BBC Radio Wales. Born in Cwmafan near Port Talbot, he was educated locally and experienced sexual abuse as a teenager, leading to a suicide attempt. He identified as gay from his teenage years and later married Gabe Cameron, who often assisted with listener calls on his show. Needs established the Chris Needs Hospital Appeal, a charity supporting South Wales hospitals, and was awarded an MBE in 2005 for his charity work and contributions to broadcasting. After his mother’s death in 2001, he developed Type 2 diabetes, with his blood sugar level reaching 61 mmol/L (1,098 mg/dL). He became a celebrity ambassador for Diabetes Cymru and later lost six stone due to an ulcerated throat, documented in an S4C program. He died in 2020 from a heart condition at the age of 66. A talented pianist, Needs accompanied Bonnie Tyler and appeared on S4C’s Noson Lawen. His career included roles as a translator, actor, tour guide, and entertainer, living in Spain, Gibraltar, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Jersey. He spoke English, Welsh, Spanish, Dutch, and was learning German. Needs started his radio career with Touch AM before co-presenting Radio Wales’ Live Time show. From 2002, he hosted The Friendly Garden Programme, joined by Nikki-Sue until 2003. His show attracted a large following through the Chris Needs Friendly Garden Association, which claimed nearly 50,000 members worldwide, mostly women. Members could even enroll their pets. Needs ...