- LOS ANGELES (Reuters)
- Radio host Art Bell, famed for his lengthy discussions on creepy conspiracy
theories, will announce his retirement on air in the wee hours of Thursday,
his syndicator Premiere Radio Networks Inc. said Wednesday.
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- Plagued with ongoing back problems, Bell, 57, will name
guest host George Noory, 52, as his successor during his overnight radio
show, "Coast to Coast AM."
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- The popular show, which has developed a cult following
and is touted as the most listened to overnight radio program in the country,
features Bell offering insights on anything from UFO sightings to FBI conspiracy
theories and crop circles.
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- The program was created by Bell in 1993 and currently
airs on 525 stations nationwide live from 1-6 a.m. ET, according to Premiere,
a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications Inc., the nation's largest
radio broadcaster.
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- This is not the first time Bell -- who plans to serve
as an occasional guest host -- has left the air.
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- He returned to the air in February 2001 following a lengthy
absence after being falsely accused of child molestation.
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- Bell announced he would depart to tend to his son, who
had been molested, according to reports, but the host found himself in
the middle of a firestorm when another radio announcer incorrectly suggested
on air that Bell himself had been charged with the crime.
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- Bell's teen-age son had been abducted and molested by
one of his high school teachers and Bell had refused to discuss the sensitive
issue on the air, according to reports.
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- The teacher was later convicted and sentenced to prison,
according to reports.
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- "Coast to Coast AM" will continue its current
broadcast schedule, which features Bell for three nights, Noory for three
nights and host Barbara Simpson for one night until Dec. 31, 2002.
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- As of January 1, Noory will host the show five nights
a week, with Simpson hosting on weekends.
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- Since 1997, Noory has been the host of a late-night program
in St. Louis, which is similar to "Coast to Coast AM."
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- Known as "the Nighthawk," listeners have regularly
tuned in to hear Noory discuss unexplained phenomena, Premiere said.
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