Hugo Duncan (Hugh Anthony Duncan) is a singer and BBC broadcaster born in Strabane, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland on 26 March, 1950. His nickname is "The wee man from Strabane". He loved performing from a very young age and as a wee child was involved in set dancing, recitations, the church choir and the local pantomime. When he left school, he went to work in the local factory. In the early 70s he was spotted on a TV talent show on RTÉ and snapped up by the then fledgling Release Records, which later spawned such stars as Philomena Begley, Ray Lynam, Eurovision star Johnny Logan and many, many, many more. By the time he was twenty-one he had formed his own band, Hugo Duncan and the Tall Men, and had a number one hit in the Irish charts with “Dear God” Hugo joined Radio Foyle during the 1980s doing holiday relief, after which he was offered a job presenting his own show on a weekly basis. He also presents a show on Radio Foyle, every Sunday from 14:00 to 16:00. In October 1998 he was given the opportunity to present Hugo Duncan's Country Afternoon on Radio Ulster each weekday from 13:30 to 15:00, and The theme tune used on his BBC Radio Ulster show is Rocky Top, while he closes each programme with Yakety Sax, also known as the theme to The Benny Hill Show Hugo's BBC Radio Ulster Country Show is now one of the most listened to programmes locally and its success has cemented Hugo's status as a top-rank entertainer. In 2001 along with Eamonn Holmes, Hugo appeared in Episode Two of Season One of popular BBC NI comedy Give My Head Peace and both were kidnapped by Ma. Hugo is also a member of BBC Northern Ireland’s team during their annual Children In Need appeal. In 2006 Hugo dressed up as Britney Spears and performed a version of her song “…Baby One More Time”. He kept the costume afterwards and dons it on the stage when he sings that song during his concerts. Hugo's unauthorized biography "Uncle Hugo: The Story Of The Wee Man From Strabane," written by Paul Evans, was published in 2008 by Blackstaff Press in Belfast. Hugo was not too happy to hear of the publication and spent a fair bit of time arguing with Paul about his writing.
