Career
Brought up on Commercial Street and educated at Todmorden Grammar School (now called Todmorden High School) on Ferney Lee Road in Todmorden, he played cricket for Burnley and Todmorden. A geography teacher at his school sparked his interest in weather forecasting. He started Geography A-level, but never took the examination
He spent four years researching meteorology.
He trained for a year in weather presentation at Reading College. From 1980, he worked at the Nottingham Weather Centre, presenting his first forecast for Radio Lincolnshire, then further forecasts for Midlands Today (Nottingham news opt-out, starting 28 May 1980) and Central Television.
In 1985, he became a national forecaster on the British Broadcasting Corporation
Kettley used to work for the Met Office, and now presents weather forecasts for the British Broadcasting Corporation on Radio Five Live, mainly on Breakfast (6 - 9am). In 2000 Kettley left the Met Office to join commercial weather company British Weather Services, and continues to provide forecasts across a range of media outlets and sporting concerns including the Football Association, Twickenham and leading United Kingdom racecourses such as Newbury, Cheltenham, Haydock Park, Newmarket - and Barbecues.
Kettley enjoys playing cricket, fell-walking, horse racing, photography and gardening.
A supporter of Burnley F.C., John often makes references to the team"s performances during broadcasts. Kettley"s status as a cult figure was confirmed in 1988, when a band called A Tribe of Toffs released the song "John Kettley is a Weatherman", which also made reference to other television weather presenters of the day including Michael Fish, Bernard Davey, Bill Giles, Ian McCaskill and Wincey Willis. The single reached number 21 in the United Kingdom Singles Chart The song included the chorus:
John Kettley is a weatherman
A weatherman, a weatherman
John Kettley is a weatherman
And so is Michael Fish
Halifax Courier article October 2007
Lancashire Evening Telegraph article January 2005
His memories of cricket in July 2000
Lancashire Evening Telegraph article April 1998
International Association of Broadcast Meteorology.