Ken Bruce has just announced he’s leaving Radio 2!

[HannahinHampshire]

Says it’s entirely his own decision. End of an era for me

I’ll miss Ken. He’s reassuringly old school. Everything stops for Popmaster where I work 😢
I much prefer Scott Mills to Steve Wright. At least Scott doesn’t sing over the top of half the songs he’s playing!
Agree with PP about Jeremy Vine. He’s like a caricature version of himself somehow.

I think you have to adapt....you grow out of certain stuff and sometimes have to be open to change. There are so many radio stations now specialising in certain genres and podcasts to listen to alternatively. Radio 2 target audience is probably 30/50ish, the new djs are playing more 90s 00s stuff...maybe time to move on to local radio?

Tbh I’m gutted our local radio station is moving into Greatest Hits along with many others. We’ve lost the local roots of the station. :(

@Whatdayisitalexa that is good advice actually. We are all in that age range and we tried rotating Radio 6, Virgin and Radio X. Podcasts could be a good thing to try next, thanks!

He cant take Pop master with him surely?
I'm enjoying Radio 2 atm, having moved over from Radio 1 years ago, Its great Sarah and Scott came to join me .. however i cant stand Zoe Ball!
Johnny Walkers 'sounds of the 70s' better not be next to go though!!!

Radio 2
The big recent radio shift is that Helen Thomas, the Head of Radio 2, has decided to pull a key plaster off, by replacing the erstwhile Steve Wright in the Afternoon with Radio 1’s Scott Mills.
The big show started on Radio 2 in 1999, though after a run from 1981 to 1993 on Radio 1. He had a good innings on daily national radio. It may seem odd to retire Steve when his figures are still strong. As the chart shows, his numbers generally rise and fall with the station.
Where it is different though, is around average age. Radio 2 is keen to re-position with more appeal to 35-55s, but since 2004 the station’s average has creeped up from 50 to 54. Steve’s average age exceeds the average of the station, so is gradually pulling it even older. For Radio 2 to re-align the station, it has to make some big changes.
For Steve this raises an interesting question. His audience scale would make him an in-demand person, but does he want to give up his remaining Radio 2 shifts (things for BBC Sounds and Sunday Love Songs) to pick up a bigger gig at somewhere like Smooth? Whilst it would definitely salve the ego, it would probably push him closer to the end of radio’s relevance conveyer belt.
Over at Virgin Radio, Chris Evans isn’t the boss, but all the bosses are forced to listen to him (on air and his corporate ideas). Chris was keen to extend an invitation for Steve to join the station. There is some form with this, obviously Chris moved from Radio 2 and pulled Graham Norton over as well. Their audience additions – 1m for Chris, 500k for Graham are solid, but probably at significant salary cost. Kisstory manages the same hours as Virgin at, I imagine, far less than the cost of a Mr Norton.
Will Virgin want to do their talent grab again for Wright? I’m not convinced it’s great for the Virgin Radio brand which still retains something of the risk-taking/rule-breaking Branson genesis, but would be further diluted with Steve joining the ship.
Whilst I’m sure a lot of Steve’s listeners will be grumpy, Scott Mills actually shares many similarities with Steve – particularly the focus on content and ‘show’ – rather than style. It won’t be such a big transition as many think. Radio 2 whilst losing some die-hards will probably attract some older Radio 1 listeners as well as some lapsed Radio 1 listeners who hadn’t found their way to Radio 2 yet. It’ll almost certainly help drag their average age younger.
Scott over the last ten years, has been presenting on Radio 1 with Chris Stark. Chris is a talented presenter and ideas generator and has contributed hugely to the Radio 1 show and acted as a youthful foil as Scott gets older. His persona though would make it difficult to transition with Scott to Radio 2.
Pasted from: www.mattdeegan.com/2022/07/19/talent-changes-at-radio-1-2/

In summary Steve Wright is dragging the average age of their listeners up, which they don't want.

Oh no! I usually listen to Boom Radio at home during the day but can’t get digital in the car so it’s Radio 2 then. I like Gary Davies and Jo Whiley, OJ Borg is better than Scott Mills, and I prefer Sara Cox on the breakfast show rather than drive time, I loathe Zoe Ball. I couldn’t stand Steve Wright, or Chris Evans. I didn’t know Simon Mayo had moved again. Will try Greatest Hits Radio!

I loved the Paul O’Grady show and was genuinely gutted when he left. The idea of him sharing the show was ridiculous and the other presenter, Rob Beckett doesn’t come close to Paul O’Grady.
Apart from Liza Tarbuck I’m struggling to name a presenter I like in R2. Sara Cox is ok I suppose and I don’t understand how she didn’t get the Breakfast show. I can’t listen to Zoe Ball. I don’t like her presenting style.

I really hope Liza Tarbuck doesn’t jump ship. I love her show, it’s a genuine highlight of my week to cook our family meal with Liza on in the background (simple pleasures shouldn’t be underestimated!)

I also really like Sara Cox, but tend to listen to Simon Mayo instead when she’s on - flipping back occasionally when the ads are getting too much.

Liza makes you feel you’re part of a group of friends meeting for a chat. She plays the best music too.

Sounds of the 70s is the only programme I've ever listened to on Radio 2. I really enjoy it. Johnnie Walker does a great job, although I'm really enjoying Whispering Bob's cover stint this month. I have to switch off promptly when it finishes, though, as some shouty chap follows on.

I love Johnny Walker, it reminds of my dad who loved his shows.

Not sure how I feel about Ken going. Not keen on the music he plays but love Popmaster.
I would have voted for Garry Davis as replacement but heard him a few weeks ago covering for Zoe Ball, he was talking to Elaine Paige and he was relentless in taking the piss out of her laugh, even replaying it back to her over and over about 5 times. Poor woman - she should have told him to fuck off. It was just nasty.

I shall miss him, I wish Vanessa Feltz would take the slot. She is a great talent and very underused. I wish Zoe would bugger off. She is very patronising.

Agree 100% Gasp, i also like listening when he occasionally gets Tiggy in.. turn up loud, and i surprise myself how many songs i know the words to!
nice to know some of my memory is still in tact
Whispering Bob is great, but im convinced last Sundays show had more recent stuff in (i.e not 70s)

Gutted but knew it was inevitable. Who's going to play the Walker Brother and Elton John album tracks now? And the camp disco tunes he plays at 11.55 before clocking off...

At least he won't have to out up with Richie now, I can also sense the distain in his voice 😁

I was a die hard R2 fan but in the last few months I've moved to Chris Evans and Graham Norton on virgin and Times Radio weekday afternoons (Mariella and Fi and Jane) shame as I really like Scott Mills but I'm not keen on the 90s music. I like hearing a mix of old and new.

Still love Tony Blackburn and Gambo.

I would pay good money to continue to listen to Liza Tarbuck's show if she ever went - like Sean Keaveney's patron idea, another great dj dropped.

I don't know how R2 managed to remain so static for over 20yrs? Radio 1 mixes things up every 3 - 4yrs. Greg must be due to leave breakfast soon.

I can’t believe Shaun Keaveny hasn’t gone somewhere else. Liza should get Ken’s spot and Shaun do her Saturday evening.

The only possible solution I can come up with is they’ll have to persuade Iggy Pop to move from Six Music and take over Ken’s slot at R2.

it HAS to be a National (or International) Treasure type person to replace Ken.

So what is the BBC's actual rationale when it comes to shoving a load of listeners away once it deems them too old to be worthy of a station's output? Where is it expecting the 'past-it' Radio 2 listeners to move to, if they prefer music to 'programmes' and don't want to shift to classical?

Is it hoping that they just disappear - whilst still continuing to pay their licence fees, as part of the demographic that largely does stick with the licence fee model, whereas many in the younger generations have long abandoned broadcast TV and radio and thus have also stopped paying the fee anyway?

Have they forgotten that over 75s now have to pay again, so they can't even just be treated by the BBC as unwanted freeloaders with nothing aimed at them?

Loved listening to Simon Mayo and Matt driving home today. Sounds like GHR listeners are very keen for Ken's arrival.

Who's going to play the Walker Brother and Elton John album tracks now?

Never mind that, how will Evanescence get an income without him forever playing 'Bring me to life'?

I'm presuming that he will have at least as much (probably a lot more) say in his new show, so presumably these tracks will still be being played by Ken - just on a different frequency!

You may be right about Greg. I’m not sure if he would want to become Ken’s long-term successor, though. Music isn’t his main passion, cricket is, and many people would expect him to move into sports broadcasting at some point.

Richie Anderson may get the show ?

Ken jumped before he was pushed , please let the next person to leave be slimy Jeremey Vine

If Richie Anderson gets the show, R2 might has well call it a day.