And then, on 22 October, Mayo resigned from the station, dissolving the new co-hosted Drivetime after barely six months, with Whiley given her second schedule move in a year, to launch a new music show from 7.00 to 9.00pm, starting in January. Radio 2 History 1990-99 New presenters during this . ", Radio listeners are famously resistant to change, and often sceptical that it's even possible to attract young audiences to stations that skew older. In this period, the Radio 4 Womans Hour presenter Jane Garvey, in the past an occasional fill-in presenter for Ken Bruce and Jeremy Vine, directly targeted Radio 2 as part of a wider campaign against unequal opportunities and unfair pay rates for BBC women. Following a request for stories on Jeremy Vines show, listeners have sent in their special recollections about, for example, the big chart battles between the likes of The Beatles and Rolling Stones, Blur and Oasis, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Victoria Beckham. Steve Wright will reveal the Official Top 40 biggest (sales and streams) all-time debut albums to be released in the UK since records began in 1956. bbc radio 2 presenters past and present. She will assuredly be much happier at 7pm, playing records she respects. A keen drummer since the age of seven, Owain shot to international fame when, during lockdown in 2020, he produced a video of himself drumming to the BBC News theme tune, which was viewed tens of millions of times around the globe. Bruce has also presented Radio 2s coverage of Eurovision since 1988, and has been a regular presenter of Sunday Night Is Music Night. List of former BBC newsreaders and journalists, Last edited on 22 February 2023, at 07:58, List of current BBC newsreaders and reporters, "Ghana's anti-corruption blockbuster film draws crowds", http://www.courier.co.uk/warzonesartgalleries/story15532830detail/story.html, "BBC - Radio 4 - Woman's Hour -Triona Holden", http://www.trionaworks.com/65849/anotherlife, http://www.canterburytimes.co.uk/warzonesartgalleries/story15532830detail/story.html, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ukenglandkent22131541, "Simon McCoy leaving BBC News to join GB News - taking sarcasm and viral gaffes with him", https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/sep/24/jeremypaxmanchannel4generalelectionnewsnightbbc, "See How A Blog Post Brought Down A State Department Spokesman", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_former_BBC_newsreaders_and_journalists&oldid=1140890270, This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 07:58. Findings in a BBC review in the early 90s showed that 40 somethings felt dispossessed, and no longer knew if they were Radio 1 or 2 listeners. "What the BBC does have is an unrivalled platform," says Kanter. If his pay was reduced, it may have given him another reasonable cause to feel unease at the BBC. "This presenter weighed that offer up, but ultimately decided that the platform they have on the BBC was more compelling than the cash. Following Wogan's death last year, fans launched a campaign to get his folk-pop single. A BBC source says that managers calculated that: Simon was the only one who would wear it. They reportedly concluded that it would be pointless to ask Evans or Wright to co-host, as they were so used to being big, solo voices at the microphone, and that the formats of Bruces and Vines shows would struggle to accommodate a second presenter. The whole chart will be available from Friday 4 November as a BBC Sounds collection called The UKs Official Most Streamed Songs. Humphrey Lyttelton9. Ill be presenting my personal selection of the most thought-provoking and entertaining songs by artists, who became famous during the earliest days of radio.. "Vernon is a lovely bloke and I wish him all the best," Bruce told BBC News, adding that he "wouldn't dare give anyone else tips about broadcasting". Stars Simon Mayo and Chris Evans are leaving, listeners are switching off Mark Lawson investigates who is to blame for the crisis at the nation's favourite radio station, "With Radio 2, you make changes like a porcupine makes love very carefully.. 1969 and singing London was still swinging just. The BBC Concert Orchestra has been performing live editions of Friday Night is Music Night since the programme began in 1953, and a one-off highlight came from EMIs Abbey Road studio when Jo Wiley met the legendary Stevie Wonder. 04:00 Owain Wyn Evans Food. Another factor in Mayos unhappiness seems likely to have been the fallout from the publication of salaries. I don't understand why people would be confused about not wanting new presenters to come through - it is inevitable.". The BBC confirmed Gary Davies, host of the stations Sounds Of The 80s, will present the mid-morning show from March 6 until Kay takes over the helm in May on a date which is yet to be announced. John Peel 3. It was a terrible mistake to force the BBC to reveal its top talent salaries, and I suspect this problem will only get worse.". On the same day, a new Unitary Board (combining both BBC high-ups and independent non-executive directors) took over internal oversight of the corporation from previous committees of governors or trustees. Hawara: 'What happened was horrific and barbaric', The people who want you to believe the Ukraine war is fake. Vernon Kay is returning to the BBC to replace Ken Bruce on his Radio 2 mid-morning weekday show, the broadcaster has confirmed. She serves as a relief presenter from time to time on the BBC News Channel and has in the past presented on BBC Radio 4. Enjoy this party classic with an updated RT twist - fun for all the family! Where this dusty bureaucratic road leads to the Mayo-Whiley fiasco is that, under the new arrangements, all BBC services became subject to two operating licences: one from Ofcom and another from the BBC Board. On 22nd October, announcing his departure from Radio 2, Mayo tweeted: Ive loved working with the exceptional Jo Whiley and when the show was reconfigured, she was my first and only choice., That is true but, perhaps due to diplomacy or the Twitter space limit, that isnt the full story. Schedule changes are also sometimes made, controversially, for reasons of diversity. Of all the things I do, speaking to others via the wizardry of wireless is my absolute favourite! In this culturally thrilling vintage music show, the programmes celebrate the centenary of the BBC with Barrys very own selection of thought-provoking and witty songs by artists who made their name during the earliest days of British broadcasting. Terry Wogan2. This week it was announced she will present the coveted Radio 1 breakfast show as part of the station's new talent Christmas line-up. ", A spokesman for the station said: "Throughout the years Radio 2 has stayed relevant to its millions of listeners by evolving its schedule. Starting with music presenting, news reading, and acting work on the British Forces Network in Germany, Brian went on to train at RADA in 1949. Read about our approach to external linking. That was the motto of Jim Moir, when Controller of the network, reflecting the view that the station on which Ken Bruce has hosted the same show for 26 years, Steve Wright for 19 and Jeremy Vine for 15 has an unusually stable schedule, which is rewarded by exceptional listener loyalty: the stations reach of 28.1 per cent of the population and cost per listener (0.5p) are both exceptional by BBC radio standards. After Mayos resignation, an interview was eventually offered, but that was then cancelled just before our deadline. Radio 2 spin doctors were still struggling to find support for the optimistic line that all format changes take time to settle when, in September, they had to deal with the fallout from Chris Evanss announcement live on air that, after eight years on the breakfast show, he was leaving to join Virgin Radio in 2019. Over the seven weeks since Evans announced his departure, Radio Times has repeatedly asked for someone senior at BBC Radio to speak about Radio 2 for this article. A Year in The Life: 1962 - which narrates the breakthrough year for the band via the recollections of those who knew and worked alongside them in 1962, narrated by Liverpool contemporary Roger McGough with contributors including Bill Harry, editor of Merseybeat, Klaus Voorman (close friend from Hamburg and the artist responsible for Revolver's sleeve), their original drummer Pete Best, Joe Brown and Mike Berry who shared bills with the group shortly before their national fame, Andy White, the studio session drummer who played on Love Me Do, and publicist Tony Calder who promoted their first single (first broadcast in 2012). Someone who has a long-time involvement with Radio 2 says bluntly: The managers are mainly s**t. And there are so many of them that, if you complain to one of them about something, they tell you the decision was made by another one. No young people are going to listen to Feedback, even if you get HRVY or Joe Sugg to present it, because BBC Radio 4 isn't on their radars.". That was soon to change! Others think the BBC should let its biggest names leave rather than offer huge sums to keep them, and grow a new generation of stars instead. They believe that when they are presenting on the BBC, they are talking to the nation.". Mahfuz riad. A friend of Mayo says: He definitely said, If I have to co-host, then it would be Jo. But the important words were if I have to. However, the problem, an insider argues, is that: The bosses have never admitted, privately or publicly, that the Mayo-Whiley decision was gender equality driven. If so, this was likely to be on legal advice: changing Mayos working arrangements purely on the basis of his being male could be seen as law-breaking discrimination. View the full Top 20 below: 1. Radio 2 Celebrates Country Steve Wright: They Don't Normally Sing Country Steve explores unlikely practitioners of country music - from Bee Gees to Lady Gaga. A small spurt of positive publicity, from the announcement of Zoe Ball as Evanss successor, was offset by disappointment from some listeners, who would have preferred Sara Cox. But when you go to see the other one, they tell you it was the first one.. My past overseas postings include reporting roles with Australia's Network Ten in Sydney, and the IBS radio news agency in London. Hell be saying "love you, hi" to everyone with music and laughs to get listeners through the afternoon, taking their calls and messages and, as friend to the stars, who knows who else might pop-up! On 3 April 2017, Ofcom, the government approved media regulator, was for the first time given external scrutiny of the BBC, which had previously dealt with all editorial issues internally. For stars who made their name in news, such as Sopel, Maitlis and Marr, the freedom offered by rivals is a significant attraction. You can unsubscribe at any time. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content. But soothing instrumental light music, middle of the road classics, and a weekly soap opera were the mainstay when the station opened in 1967 By the late 60s, the Light Programme established after the war, was beginning to show signs of age. Try 12 issues for 1 today - never miss an issue. But many talent agents won't be best pleased when their clients do this, as they lose some of their commission in the process. One of the debates about what has happened at his most popular radio service is the extent to which Hall may have been proved right by the departure of Evans to Virgin, and unconfirmed rumours that Mayo may resurface at a commercial network such as Smooth. The 80s were Terrys heyday as his early evening chat show on BBC 1 really took off. One reader will win a pair of premium tickets to see Aspects of Love at the Lyric Theatre Shaftesbury Avenue and overnight stay in one twin or double room at the Clermont Hotel, London with a 3-course meal from the table dhote menu and breakfast. Bruce announced he was leaving the BBC in January before confirming he would be moving to Bauers Greatest Hits Radio in April to present a new mid-morning show from 10am to 1pm. Getting impartiality right can be tricky - people on both sides of the political divide regularly complain the corporation is biased in favour of the other. Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2, said Kay was picked as a hugely talented, warm and witty host who is already a firm favourite with listeners after filling in for other hosts. 2023 BBC. 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