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Krazy Kevin, the flamboyant and extremely noisy former Radio Bahrain DJ and GulfWeekly columnist, is now one of Australia’s official town criers.
Toowoomba Regional Council recently approved the appointment of the entertainer to the position during a confidential council session which has received massive media coverage.
Kevin Howarth was born in what he called a ‘quaint little English fishing village’ called Oldham and went on to become arguably Bahrain’s No 1 celebrity before moving Down Under.
Krazy Kevin said it was an honour to be appointed. “I’ve always been fascinated by town criers, in England we have town criers all over the place. It’s a great tradition and I’m honoured to do something for Toowoomba, which I love.
The only downside is that I will have to wear a kilt!” Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio said he was pleased to welcome Krazy Kevin to the important ceremonial role, which includes making public announcements in the streets and marketplaces, saying he would ‘bring his enthusiastic personality and passion’ after winning over the judges with his booming voice and old school charm.
He currently hosts The Krazy Kevin Radio Show on 87.6FM, City FM - every day. While his new role is voluntary, the council provides a $5,000 honorarium to cover relevant expenses. He is still well-loved and remembered in Bahrain and even flew back to host a party to help revellers see in the 2016 New Year.
He spun his chart hits at Sealoft, Amwaj Islands, adjacent to the Dragon Resort, and caught up with friends and fans. “Life in Australia has been amazing, but I still miss my beloved Bahrain,” he added.
One of his close buddies here, Stevie George, a recent recruit to the Radio Bahrain airwaves and manager of Wembley Sports Bar in Juffair, reckons Kevin was destined for his new role thanks to his genetic make-up.
“I think his appointment as a town crier must fulfil one of his life’s aspirations and his very loud voice will carry around Toowoomba for many miles, especially as the air needed is supplied by such a large nose!
“I first met Kevin in the late 1980s playing football in the UK. I was honoured when I was asked to be his best man at his wedding here in Bahrain back in 2001.” The popular showbiz personality boasted an army of fans here, particularly amongst school-age children and their parents after hosting radio shows which coincided with the school-runs.
Kevin was renowned for his outrageous colourful outfits and odd socks and also hosted the Music Mania chart show on Bahrain TV. He launched into showbiz as a disc-jockey in the English seaside resort of Blackpool, was later judged ‘DJ of the Year’ at the Empire Leicester Square in London and went on to be voted ‘UK Personality of the Year’ two years running by DJ colleagues and club managers.
His career took him to Hong Kong, Italy, Spain, Germany, Iceland and Dubai before he settled in Bahrain in 1999 spinning the discs at Manama hotspots BJ’s and JJ’s. He was regularly snapped up to host parties, VIP events and product launches and for several years penned a ‘Kid’s Klub’ page in GulfWeekly.
The larger-than-life character would often get mobbed by fans even when he was out shopping for groceries. There was a storm of protest when Kevin was ‘moved’ from his Radio Bahrain morning show to an afternoon slot as punishment for alleged bad time-keeping.
Thousands of listeners signed petitions urging the station’s bosses to change their minds. Kevin followed his Australian wife, Wendy, the former personal assistant to Ed Goodwin, CEO and principal of St Christopher’s School, and their daughter, Hannah, to Toowoomba in 2011.
