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BAHRAIN'S flamboyant radio and TV presenter Krazy Kevin is preparing to pack his bags and leave Bahrain for a new life with his family in Australia.
The popular showbiz personality - described in one glossy monthly magazine as arguably the kingdom's 'biggest celebrity' - boasts an army of fans particularly amongst school-age children and their parents after hosting shows on Radio Bahrain which coincided with the morning or afternoon school-runs.
Kevin Howarth, 52, renowned for his outrageous colourful outfits and odd socks, said: "I'll be heartbroken to leave - it's been an incredible and memorable experience."
His wife, Wendy, personal assistant to Ed Goodwin, Principal of St Christopher's School, and their six-year-old daughter Hannah, will be departing next month and Kevin will join them in the New Year after fulfilling numerous engagements over the festive period.
The family has decided to move to help care for Wendy's ageing parents, who live near Brisbane, in particular her mother who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time.
Kevin said: "Family must come first and it's been a worrying time for us. We will be sorry to leave the many friends we have made on the island. Bahrain is an incredible place and living here has given us the opportunity to meet so many people from all over the world - it's a fabulous melting pot of cultures.
"Bahrain and its people will always remain close to my broken heart."
Oldham-born Krazy Kevin, who also hosts the Music Mania chart show on Bahrain TV, launched into showbiz as a disc-jockey in the English seaside resort of Blackpool.
He later entered a competition and was 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 music 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 before concentrating on broadcasting and event management.
Krazy Kevin has been regularly snapped up to host parties, VIP events and product launches and for several years penned a 'Kid's Klub' page in GulfWeekly. The big-hearted presenter also offered his services to local charities and helped raise funds for many of the island's good causes such as Bahrain's BSPCA animal sanctuary and the Think Pink Bahrain cancer charity.
The larger-than-life character would often get mobbed by fans even when he was out shopping for groceries with his family. "Sometimes it can take Kevin 40 minutes to make his way across the car park at Alosra by which time I've been round the aisles twice and paid for the shopping!" said Wendy.
"It can be a bit hard on Hannah too when everyone wants a piece of Krazy Kevin when she's out with him. He's not Krazy to her, he's just dad! So it may be a nice change to get away from under the spotlight."
There was a storm of protest when Kevin was 'moved' from his Radio Bahrain morning show to an afternoon slot as punishment for alleged minor time-keeping misdemeanours and a row over New Year's Day attendance.
Thousands of listeners signed petitions urging the station's bosses to change their minds but their pleas went unanswered and one furious senior manager allegedly told staff he would not be 'dictated to by a load of 14-year-olds'.
Krazy Kevin was 'gutted' by the decision to replace him on the prime time show with radio veteran Ian 'The Fish' Fisher although his afternoon show has grown in strength and popularity.
Former GulfWeekly journalist Arran Dall, now managing editor of Fact magazine which recently featured Krazy Kevin on its cover, said. "Having lived in Bahrain for nearly 20 years, I can say that with Krazy Kevin leaving the island, we're losing a national cultural institution. Love him or hate him, you know him! I for one think Bahrain will be a far less interesting place without him. Bon voyage Kevin, may your socks never match!"
Now Krazy Kevin has the chance to spread his zany brand of happiness on the airwaves Down Under in 2011.
