Max Miller’s famous call of Listen! Listen! could perfectly describe the life of another unique Brighton resident, John Henty.

Although John wasn’t originally from the area, Brighton flows through every part of his being.

For many years, John Henty served as one of Radio Brighton’s most recognisable voices, arguably the station’s defining voice.

He was present at the very beginning of local radio’s launch, with our regional station among just six experimental outlets launching at that time.

On that historic first broadcast day, he was dispatched to the summit of Sussex Heights, then the tallest structure in Sussex, to provide commentary on the vista before him.

On clearer days the Isle of Wight is visible from that spot, though on that particular morning dense fog prevented him from seeing even the microphone positioned directly in front of him.

Recently I had the pleasure of sharing tea with John at the Pavilion Gardens Cafe.

John regards this establishment as his home away from home.

He’s a regular fixture there, enjoying the establishment’s celebrated rock buns while meeting other members of the Max Miller Appreciation Society.

Max Miller’s other well-known phrase, You can’t help liking him, could equally apply to John.

He shared fascinating stories about his encounters with celebrities spanning past and present eras, many of whom he counted as personal friends.

On one occasion he accompanied Sean Connery to Turkey, in my view the finest James Bond actor.

He witnessed ABBA’s visit to the city, and numerous performers and actors would frequently drop by Studio 1 at the Marlborough Place studios to speak with him.

Yesterday John Henty returned to the Pavilion Gardens Cafe to enjoy another rock cake and introduce his newest publication covering Radio Brighton’s formative period.

The occasion also marked his 90th birthday celebration.

One reason John holds such affection for the Pavilion Gardens Cafe is that his great-great-great-grandfather established Brighton’s very first tea establishment there.

John entered the world in Thornton Heath near Selhurst Park rather than Brighton itself, which accounts for his (whispered confession) lifelong allegiance to Crystal Palace. Nobody’s flawless!

John wasn’t merely a spectator though—he operated the public address system at Selhurst Park for more than three decades beginning in the mid-1960s.

He was responsible for introducing the team’s anthem, Glad All Over by The Dave Clark Five.

Despite his obvious devotion to Palace (evident from his cap bearing the Eagle crest), he maintains remarkably warm feelings towards Brighton and Hove Albion, Palace’s fiercest rivals.

After all, his role as sports editor at Radio Brighton meant he spent considerable time covering and commentating on matches at the Goldstone Ground.

Longtime readers will recall The Early Bird Show, John’s remarkable morning programme on Radio Sussex that continued until 1987.

Recently I revisited a recording of his final Early Bird Show, which aired on 1st May 1987. It had me chuckling aloud.

He possessed all the qualities Terry Wogan later became known for, and more, predating Wogan’s rise.

Unlike Wogan though, John’s attention remained fixed on his local listenership, whom he held dear.

Listen! Listen! resonates not only with his radio followers and Palace supporters at Selhurst Park.

He also served as a Samaritan volunteer.

The profits from his new book about Radio Brighton’s history will support the Samaritans Brighton and Hove branch (who coincidentally took over The Amex on Saturday for the match against Liverpool, where a compelling video titled Together Against Suicide, created jointly by the Samaritans and the Albion, was displayed).

A mere 750-word piece cannot adequately encompass John’s complete life and career, including his work in newspapers, his military service where he was placed in sole charge of a typewriter, or his marriage spanning over six decades to Sylvia, his son Andrew and granddaughter Nina.

Even ten additional columns would prove insufficient to detail his collection of curiosities, though his second book In My Room recounts the tale of his room filled with personal treasures, among them a peepshow machine.

The sole occasion John struggled to find words during our conversation occurred when I asked him to describe himself rather than his experiences or stories. I’d propose he embodies the spirit of an enthusiast, entertainer and singular character.

I’m confident every reader of this column will unite with me in wishing the Voice of Brighton and Selhurst Park a wonderful 90th birthday celebration. And while Max Miller would often express approval regarding John’s remarkable nine decades we can declare: That is nice, Henty.