The dire state of Radio 2

[LindorDoubleChoc]

I want to cry about how awful Radio 2 is!

Just listening to Paddy McGuinness (who is not my favourite, I'll admit) and he is doing "embarrassing things you didn't know" - for the eleventy millionth time on that station. People phoning in and saying about the petrol cap sign on the dashboard, the tin foil roll - we have heard this all before. It is so SO SO VERY DULL. Please - what can be done to improve it? It's like baby food for the brain.

As I have a well-documented phobia about Gary Davies I am barely listening to R2 these days and I'm wondering if now is the time to call it a day forever?

@champagnetrial - should have said "well documented on Mumsnet phobia" .

I've looked back at my posting history and I've ranted about him no less than 27 times on here in the last couple of years. Fume!

What I want is R4 with music. Doesn't exist sadly.

BBC Radio generally has been on a major decline for the last decade or so.

I'm increasingly listening to commercial radio now - Greatest Hits Radio isn't that great but it's generally better than Radio 2 IMO.

I haven't listened to Radio 2 since they got rid of Simon Mayo.

Classic FM for me now, or our local commercial station. The local BBC station is shite - BBC 3 Counties. Too many annoying talking heads. I don't need to listen to the radio to hear people disagreeing with each other about current affairs.

I haven’t listened since Terry Wogan signed off. It offers nothing.

Push the tabs in at the end of the box. Keeps it in place and rolls smoothly. It's trotted out a lot on the endless ' Things you never knew' threads..

Radio 2 on the weekends has always been a bit shit though. There’s often one or two good shows over the whole weekend in a sea of speciality shows (I like a country song, a like a show tune, I have no interest in 2-3 hours of either) or people who feel like they are being used as a filler.

im not sure why they can’t get good djs on the weekend.

Was listening earlier to McGuinness and saying same thing to my husband. His patter is absolutely fucking dire.

I don't bother with it as it has too much gassing, full stop. I don't care who is talking, I am not interested in inane radio chat and silly phone ins. I want music, the less chat the better. If I want talking, I'll tune into a non-music station.

I followed Ken to Greatest Hits, but the radio in the kitchen is having one of those phases where it can only find R2. I did get to the point of endlessly looping adverts being slightly less annoying than Scott Mills and Zoe Ball.

I want people who care about music. Trevor Nelson isn't strongly aligned with my taste, but he is a proper DJ that cares about music. I don't want to hear the repetitive weekly routine of common people phoning in about doing common stuff. I do want to hear Pulp's Common People.

It feels like Radio 2 is pitched at 35 year olds and nowhere to move to if you're older than that and want a broad mix of music with light chat and a bit of information. I had tried R6, but it can be a pain to tune in to and found it a bit earnest and mumbly for background noise.

It's usually good from 3pm onwards on a Sunday. It was especially so today with Mark Radcliffe doing Sounds of the 70s. He was excellent. Then it was Pick of the Pops and then Tony Blackburn and Paul Gambaccini. That is a really good line up of proper DJs on a Sunday. The contrast with Vernon Kay, Sara Cox and Rylan was immense.

Saturdays I don't bother until 6 and only then since Liza Tarbuck left, because although I liked the music selection I found her annoying. I put Radcliffe and Maconie on both mornings at the weekend.

It went downhill when Ken Bruce and Simon Mayo left. I especially like Simon and his drive time show. The BBC treated him terribly. I now listen to either Classic FM or Greatest Hits.

I tried listening to Simon last week. I can't abide Sara Cox's show. It was a bit like going back in time with Simon and the same guy who used to do the sport report when he was on R2 (before Jo Whiley). What annoyed me were the adverts and the music being all older tracks and nothing current or new. Otherwise he was brilliant. And the confessions segment is still there!

I prefer a mix of music, I don't want retro songs all the time. I can't get on board with the Terry Wogan and Ken Bruce love because they felt like my grandad. Though I did listen to Popmaster, but not the rest of the show. I can't stand Vernon and the giggling with that traffic woman either.

This. What is it with BBC2 and presenters from Bolton? I mean, I leave not too far from there and am all for promoting north of Watford, but come on!
There was an online survey last year asking for feedback on the BBC. I really wish I'd completed it at the time.
I'm gravitating towards Radio 6, local BBC station, also consider Boom, Buzz and Fix Radio (in their words the "bald builders" - of which I'm not - choice)! If you can get past the Screwfix ads they play a good variety of music and no infantile drivel.

Since it was unofficially rebranded as the Too Old for R1 channel it's gone down hill. It's like it's a reward for long service instead of having it's own identity. Adding comedians and tat like Paddy has only made it worse.

@MeMeMeMeOw Greatest Hits need to add another decade to the mix, I love some older music but they have too narrow a selection from the years they already have too. Still better than R2 though.

Last week I barely listened to Vernon as it was back to the stupid giggling, endless inane chat with the team I can't stand the stupidness between him and Ellie the traffic person. Ritchie is so much more professional yet fun imo.

Paddy is awful. And Michael Ball is so smug it’s unbearable (but I’ve always listened to love songs so will carry on). I like everyone else. I will miss Sara when driving home, I actually look forward to her show at the end of my day. I tend to listen to 5live or Radio 4 in the morning as I like to be informed rather than light-entertained so I don’t know if I will listen to her much on breakfast.

Im exactly the same!

And Richie gets so much stick on social media. I like him.

I gave up on radio 2 a while ago and now listen to Boom Radio /Boom Rock . Proper DJ's and a great mix of music .

I like Sara Cox & anyone would be better than Scott Mills! Hope OJ doesn’t get drive time - he annoys me but I can’t quite put my finger on why.