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Quote:BBC Radio 2's Ken Bruce has announced on air that he is leaving the station after 31 years hosting its weekday mid-morning show.
His slot is the most listened-to show on UK radio, and he will now join rival station Greatest Hits Radio.
"I have decided the time is right for me to move on from Radio 2," he said, saying he'd had "a tremendously happy time" but it was "time for a change".
BBC News
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Reading between the lines sounds like has quit because he doesn’t like some of the changes to Radio 2 going on.
(This post was last modified: 17-01-2023, 01:31 PM by
Newshound47.)
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I can imagine he was looking over his shoulder after the Steve Wright news from last year (which I'm not saying was incorrect to do.. it's totally correct that Radio 2 should be reinventing the lineup as time goes on).
Sounds like his contract is up in March, he told them he wouldn't be renewing and has taken the job at Greatest Hits. Basically saves him the hassle of them 'moving him on' & gives him a few more years on a daily show - which I can imagine will be more to his tastes with the 70s/80s/90s music.
I do wonder if the Steve Wright move would've happened had they known Ken would leave right now. Feels a little bit like choppy waters at Radio 2 having a new Early Breakfast, Mid Morning & Afternoon show launch within 6-9 months.
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(17-01-2023, 01:20 PM)Dadeki Wrote: Quote:BBC Radio 2's Ken Bruce has announced on air that he is leaving the station after 31 years hosting its weekday mid-morning show.
His slot is the most listened-to show on UK radio, and he will now join rival station Greatest Hits Radio.
"I have decided the time is right for me to move on from Radio 2," he said, saying he'd had "a tremendously happy time" but it was "time for a change".
BBC News
Not going to lie but I am absolutely stunned.......
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(17-01-2023, 01:25 PM)Newshound47 Wrote: Reading between the lines sounds like has quit because he doesn’t like some of the changes to Radio 2 going on.
Worth baring in mind that his current Radio 2 salary is published in the BBC's yearly salary list, which may or may not be a factor in it.
From reading
www.bauermedia.co.uk it looks like his new show will be weekdays 10am to 1pm, so it doesn't look like he's wanting to cut back his hours now he's 71.
I wouldn't be too surprised if BBC / Radio 2 use his departure as an opportunity to rejig the morning schedules, so that the replacement doesn't have a 9.30am to midday slot. That way the replacement can potentially be on a different/lower salary in relation to hours presenting, without it being too easy to compare and claim they're being paid less.
Formerly 'Charlie Wells' of TV Forum.
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It's a win, win situation for both parties.
Radio 2 has been gradually evolving towards targeting the next group of middle aged listeners who were born in the late 70s and early 80s with presenters who were on Radio 1 in the 2000s (Ball/Mills/Cox/Whiley), with Ken leaving, they can revamp the mid-morning slot as well. When Mills replaced Steve Wright, the music policy has skewed towards the noughties.
Ken gets his final swansong on a commercial radio network and will bring a substantial amount of older listeners to Greatest Hits Radio. He also market leads in Scotland currently on Radio 2, so will prop up the numbers on Bauer's classic hits stations north of the border which aren't exactly great on reach at the moment. The highest being Clyde 2 on 172k. All are rebranding to Greatest Hits as Ken starts in April.
(This post was last modified: 17-01-2023, 02:07 PM by
London Lite.)
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They could get always get Rob Brydon back in to cover his slot...
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(17-01-2023, 02:05 PM)London Lite Wrote: It's a win, win situation for both parties.
Radio 2 has been gradually evolving towards targeting the next group of middle aged listeners who were born in the late 70s and early 80s with presenters who were on Radio 1 in the 2000s (Ball/Mills/Cox/Whiley), with Ken leaving, they can revamp the mid-morning slot as well. When Mills replaced Steve Wright, the music policy has skewed towards the noughties.
Ken gets his final swansong on a commercial radio network and will bring a substantial amount of older listeners to Greatest Hits Radio. He also market leads in Scotland currently on Radio 2, so will prop up the numbers on Bauer's classic hits stations north of the border which aren't exactly great on reach at the moment. The highest being Clyde 2 on 172k. All are rebranding to Greatest Hits as Ken starts in April.
It’s a risk through because it might just further increase the impression a lot of older people have that the BBC is ageist and obsessed with younger audiences.
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What's happening to Mark Goodier? I enjoy listening to his GHR show.
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It's ironic that the demographic Radio 2 is going after is the same one that felt abandoned by BBC radio when Moyles was pushed out from Radio 1 and the BBC had nothing to offer us until we felt like enough for Radio 2
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