ABC Broadcaster, Author Set Longest 1-on-1 Live Radio Chat

ABC radio host Richard Glover and Sydney journalist-author Peter FitzSimons established a new world record for the longest live radio chat on Monday after 24 hours of non-stop interview on the air.

The 10 a.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Monday radio interview marathon beat the previous record of 12 hours and 30 seconds set by Spanish Pedro Ruiz in Madrid in 2009.

Glover and FitzSimons's discussions covered his books, religion, World War II, the Ballarat gold rush and techniques of modern historical research before the radio presenter capped the stunt with the question why the latter wears a silly red bandanna.
"Because I like it," FitzSimons replied, according to Daily Telegraph.

Guinness Book of World Records representatives monitored the radio interview to make sure that rules are followed. The interviewer is not to repeat questions and no other person is to be interviewed. Short refreshment breaks, though, were allowed.

A small crowd, including ABC managing director Mark Scott, watched the two through the radio booth window at the ABC studio in Ultimo.

FitzSimons authored the book Kokoda after the track in Papua New Guinea where a battle between Japanese and Australian soldiers was fought in 1942. He wrote another World War II book entitled Tobruk, an account of Australian troops' battles against Italian and German troops in northern Africa.

His other books are Charles Kingsford Smith and those Magnificent Men, a biography of aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith; A Simpler Time a childhood memoir which relates his family history and honours the memory of his father and mother; and Batavia, about a 17th century Dutch ship of the same name that was shipwrecked on its maiden voyage.