Benedict Cumberbatch to be Jo and Simon’s first new show guest on Radio 2

There’s a new drivetime show starting soon on BBC Radio 2 with Jo Whiley and Simon Mayo, and their first guest will be Benedict Cumberbatch.

As they team up for a new show, Benedict joins them to talk about his new Sky Atlantic series Patrick Melrose, based on the novels of Edward St Aubyn. Each episode of the drama will focus on one of the five Patrick Melrose novels, tracking its protagonist’s journey from traumatic childhood through to adult substance abuse and, ultimately, towards recovery. The series is written by Bafta Award nominee David Nicholls, the author of One Day.

Jo Whiley and Simon Mayo start their new show on May 14th. They’re planning on bringing us three hours of the greatest guests, music and early evening entertainment. With top names from the worlds of film, TV and online, plus regular live sessions from the hottest names in music, along with celeb chat and competitions.

Jo and Simon will be looking for listeners to call in and champion what they think is The Best Song Ever; there’ll be a brand new Radio 2 quiz to play along with, plus there’s the lowdown to navigating modern life in Life Hacks. There’s also the return of Confessions, and have your phones at the ready as the Taxi Service rolls off the rank.

Have a listen to the new show from 5pm on May 14th, 88-91 FM and digital.