What are your memories of radio presenters reacting to tragic events

[MyPithyCat]

There's many examples. Which one do you remember

I remember Radio 2 had Ken Bruce present for most of the day when Prince Philip died, playing sad songs. The one that sticks is Sara Cox’s show when it was announced that Steve Wright died. They were all devastated- Bobby doing the traffic was particularly sad.

Me too

Also Bob Harris talking about Johnnie Walker’s death. He was so gracious and lovely.

Shaun Keavney and Matt Everett on the 6 Music breakfast show discovering and announcing in real time that Bowie had died. It was a magnificently handled and genuinely moving broadcast.

Simon Mayo on Radio 1 playing the dance track “Children” following a news report detailing the Dunblane massacre.

I don't listen to the radio, but the framing of the war on Iraq in Western media was truly repulsive. It was framed as a spectacle and video game, not as a mass murder of millions.

I heard it on Radio 1, it was Mark and Lard, I remember listening for the punchline and then realising there wasn't going to be one.

The radio two announcements of Steve Wright's death were heartbreaking, hearing the genuine sorrow and love was incredibly touching. Really showed what genuine affection there was for him. Each DJ just sounded devastated.

I also remember news of Wogan's death being broken by Richard Madeley who was filling on on Wogan's weekend show. Madeley can be such a tosser but he handled it well.

I was listening to Radio 4 announce the exit polling for Brexit. That certainly was a tragic event that directly affected us all, and made far worse by Brexit voters' total lack of contrition.

Sara Cox opening her show the day that Keith Flint died.

@ExpressCheckout , I remember the announcement and thinking 'I wasn't expecting that!'. It was hardly tragic.
Why should those who voted Leave be contrite? They were given a democratic choice of Leave or Remain, a large proportion of the electorate didn't vote.
Blame the government that gave them that choice.

I was going to say this, but I couldn't remember who the DJ was.

I also remember on the day Princess Diana died, most of the BBC radio stations all linked up to Radio 4 and broadcast the news, except for Radio 1 which played calming music like Enya. We really appreciated it as by the afternoon we'd had enough of watching the news but I seem to remember Radio 1 got some stick afterwards and were criticised for not linking up with Radio 4.

DH driving home New Years Day from London with a horrific hangover, stopped the car at the services hearing that Fred West had hung himself in prison.

Awful one

Ed 'Stewpot' Stewart mistaking a memo NOT to mention four British soldiers murdered in Northern Ireland for a dedication to play Danny Boy

A personal one:

I was in high school, and listening the the radio before going to sleep. On the hourly news they said that a 19-year old had died in a car accident. The place where it had happened is very small, and I knew that my friend who lived there had a 19-year old brother who liked driving.

I said to my mother that it might be him, but I don’t think I quite believed it. Then at at school the next day my friend wasn’t there, and then the teacher came to tell us her brother had died.

I didn't hear that, but good for him (and what's WRONG with people?!)

Didn't hear that, but I remember how sad Lauren Laverne sounded when she talked about it on her show later on that day.

Yes, Shaun Keaveny and Bowie, remember that well too.

This was a pretty awful one

I don't remember his exact words but Terry Wogan opening his programme the morning after the September 11th attacks. His usual jovial irreverent self was absent and he made a brief but very measured reflection of what had happened the day before. The despair and disbelief in his voice was palpable. Later in the day, Jimmy Young was quite restrained in his opening delivery too. I think he said something about 'dreadful' or 'appalling' events.

On the day Jo Cox died, the news she had died came during the PM programme. One of her friends was being interviewed about her and found out live on air - the shock was palpable and Eddie Mair (gosh I miss him) handled terrible personal news well.

I remember waking up the morning news came through about John Lennon’s death. My sister and I had been getting into Double Fantasy and were dreadfully sad listening to the Radio 1 breakfast show. Songs from that album still evoke memories of that morning.
i also remember waking up the morning after Diana died and just sitting up in disbelief at what I was hearing, glued to the tv all day.
i was heavily pregnant in 2001 and had been resting up when the news of 9/11 came on. My dad came round, DH came home from work early and we just sat stunned. I was scared for the world my baby would be entering (she’s just had her 24th and yeah, I’m still pretty scared).

Not tragic. But Piers Morgan was slating Meghan Markle and the female presenter was just looking at the camera the same way I was looking at him

I remember this. Heartbreaking.

The news reporter on Radio 1 as the Hillsborough disaster was unfolding. I had a friend who had gone to the match on a local Liverpool supporters coach, so i knew he might be there. He was caught in the crush but survived, regaining consciousness on the pitch.