Because of his long-running television career and eccentric demeanour, Moore was widely recognised and became a popular public figure. In 1976 it was used to good effect for an April Fools' Day spoof on BBC Radio 2, when Moore announced a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event that meant that if listeners could jump at that exact moment, 9.47 a.m. they would experience a temporary sensation of weightlessness. The BBC received many telephone calls from listeners alleging they experienced the sensation. He was a key figure in the establishment of the "International Birdman" event in Bognor Regis, which was initially held in Selsey.