How Trevor Chappell accidentally became a nighttime therapist to the nation

When Trevor Chappell started hosting Overnights on ABC Radio back in 2000, little did he realise he’d accidentally end up becoming an after-dark therapist to the nation.

As he prepares to officially hang up the headphones at the end of this month, Trevor joined Radio Today to reflect on the hundreds of on-air conversations he’s navigated during the wee small hours – from the candid, to the intense, to the downright kooky.

Whether it be a nurse on night shift, a truck driver with thousands of kilometres of lonely road stretching ahead of him or an elderly woman who’s recently lost her husband and unable to sleep, Trevor has been their trusted companion for the past 26 years.

“It’s a different sort of a world in a lot of ways,” he says.

“Only people who work in it, or can’t sleep in it, or are living in that period of time really understand what it is.”

It’s also different to the kind of radio we might hear during the daytime hours – more talkwith than talkback.

“When you’re awake at that time of night, it’s a far more personal experience,” Trevor explains. “That’s because most people who listen in the early hours of the morning are listening, and they’ll stay with you for a long period of time.”

“And so, even though you may never get to meet them, you get to know people pretty well. And they get to know you pretty well, too.”

Trevor says it’s hard to explain the relationship he has with his listeners. But it’s not unlike having a penpal.

“You can call them a friend even though you haven’t actually met them face to face.”

Over the journey, Trevor’s background as a youth worker has helped him navigate some particularly difficult and sometimes distressing calls.

“It’s really good for people to be able to talk,” he says. “But at the same time, you need to be careful that they don’t overshare as well. Because it would be terrible if somebody walked away after having a conversation and then regretted it.”

Trevor says he’ll dearly miss the people he talks to on air. People like Pamela – the first call he ever took.

It was Trevor’s first time hosting Overnights. He was, by his own admission, absolutely terrified. But Pamela put him at ease.

“She was so kind and so generous that it made things so much easier to do,” he remembers.

“I was still terrified, but I’d actually made contact with someone, and you realise that once (that happens) it becomes easier.”

“When you’re broadcasting, you have to recognise that you’re talking to a whole lot of people, and that’s scary when you actually do that.

“When you’re in a studio, one-to-one talking to someone, it becomes more personal. It’s like talking to one person.”

“From then on, I found it easier.”

Pamela became a regular listener. At one point Trevor even paid her a visit in hospital during a trip to Queensland.

“I found out where she was and got the opportunity to actually go and meet her, which was such a nice thing to do.”

“Pamela was blind, and when she went into care, she found it very hard to be able to call. So it was good to be able to touch base with her and go in and see her.”

The affection in Trevor’s voice is clear as he reminisces about some of his other most memorable callers.

“Simon would always call in and start conversations with ‘Box of birds,’ because that’s just the greeting he used.”

“Eric would call in and make note of anything we were getting wrong, which was really good, and I really appreciated.”

“Helen, who I’ve been talking to for years and who’s very quiet and finds it hard to sleep … when she’s awake, she’ll call in.”

Then there’s Don, who rings every year to request the same song for his wedding anniversary.

“All of those people, I have really fond relationships with. But they’ve been established over time.”

“There’s an element of trust involved, by which you have to give a bit of yourself, which is important, because it works that way with any relationship.”

Trevor says the last 26 years would not have been possible without the listeners who’ve supported him and the team he’s had around him.

“The producers I have worked with have been amazing – Michael Pavlich, who produced me for so many years – Mick James, who is producing me at the moment, Helen Richardson and John Standish as well.”

Trevor says the task of putting together an overnight talkback radio program poses a sizeable challenge for any producer.

“They have to convince people to come onto the radio at four o’clock in the morning, or two o’clock in the morning.”

“That’s no mean feat.”

On Tuesday, July 28, loyal night owl listeners will join Trevor as he broadcasts his Overnights program live from Melbourne Museum.

“It’s terrific to be able to do it,” he says. “We haven’t done many outside broadcasts. So the opportunity to meet people and see them face-to-face will be really good.”

And maybe just a tad terrifying.

“I’m a bit shy,” Trevor confesses with a laugh.

Trevor will present his final national program on Thursday, July 30, before Francis Leach takes up the Overnights baton.

Will he get emotional during his last show?

“I know I will,” says Trevor. “It’s just a matter of how well I can actually keep it together.”

“I don’t know if I’ll cry, but I know that I’ll be struggling not to.”

Images: ABC