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If you like getting your retro content via the medium of the audio podcast, then you'll almost certainly be aware of The Retro Hour, which has been running for over ten years now and is one of the most popular podcasts of its kind online.
Established in Nottingham back in 2016 by Dan Wood and Ravi Abbott, the show has reached over 540 episodes and has interviewed some of the most famous names in the industry (as well as Fatboy Slim) – but things are about to change due to the fact that Abbott is stepping down from hosting the show.
"After 10 years and almost 8 months of weekly podcasts and interviews, I've decided to take my career in a new direction and will no longer be hosting the Retro Hour," he says in a post on LinkedIn. "I'll still be part of the retro gaming world, just as a listener rather than a presenter."
Abbott got into the world of video games via his father, who used to host video game events in the Nottingham area. After gaining experience putting on such shows, Abbott Jr helped establish some of the UK’s first retro gaming events, and now oversees the Kickstart Amiga Show, the biggest Amiga event in the country.
Outside of his work on The Retro Hour and events, Abbott has written for international video game exhibitions, such as the world-famous Game On event at the Barbican. He also contributes to Amiga Addict magazine.
"My last show hosting the news will be Friday 4th of September, but you'll still be hearing from me for a while yet," he adds on LinkedIn. "We've recorded so many interviews and panels ahead of time that I'll likely be popping up in episodes right through to around Christmas and, of course, the quiz! My best friends Dan and Joe will be continuing the podcast, and we've got some pretty cool plans as a team for what's next."
He concludes:
"I've been honoured to work with so many amazing people who've given their time to be guests on the show, and to the millions of listeners who've supported it, or sat back and enjoyed episodes in silence, you guys mean more to me than you can imagine. It's been a huge part of my life, and I'm so proud to have created such a fantastic archive of video game history. It's my greatest achievement.
Thank you to all the backers and sponsors, and everyone who bought our book or came to see us live at events. I won't be disappearing, retro gaming culture and preservation is my life. I'll just be doing it in a different capacity."
As long-time fans of the show, everyone here at Time Extension wishes Ravi all the best with the next step in his career.