BBC Radio 2 to celebrate its own talent in special programmes

A new occasional series on BBC Radio 2 will spotlight some of its own broadcasters.

As the most listened to radio station in the UK, why wouldn’t Radio 2 celebrate the presenters who put it there? Well that’s exactly what it’s going to do.

Radio 2 All Stars with Dermot O’Leary will see him talking with some of his Radio 2 colleagues about their broadcasting careers.

The first in the series will span the generations, with Tony Blackburn, Zoe Ball and Rylan Clark-Neal talking about life on air at the BBC, including memorable outside broadcasts, favourite guests and their first songs played.

Tony Blackburn, whose broadcasting career began in 1964, joined Radio 2 in 2010. He was dropped by the BBC in February 2016 but reinstated at the end of that year. He is one of the best-known and much respected DJs in the UK.

In the programme, Tony talks about life on Radio Caroline and his move to Radio 1, his producer who never listened to his show and a roadshow where the tide came in and everyone ended up in the sea.

Like Tony, Zoe Ball hosted the Radio 1 Breakfast Show, but began her career in television. She became co-host of Radio 1 Breakfast with Kevin Greening in October 1997. She became the sole presenter in September the following year, making her the first female to host the show.

Zoe talks to Dermot about Radio 1 in Ibiza where she first met Fatboy Slim, a 13-hour round trip in a van to see a Super Furry Animals gig the night before a breakfast show and being in the BBC bar with her dad and the Two Ronnies.

Rylan’s route into radio came after being a contestant on X Factor and subsequent TV work. His first show on Radio 2 was in 2018 covering Zoe Ball’s Saturday show. When Zoe moved to the breakfast show in January 2019, Rylan took over the Saturday show.

He never expected to work at Radio 2 and tells Dermot about being shocked when he was approached by the station. He also reveals his newfound love of radio, something that he never listened to when growing up, his love of Mr Blobby and getting to do karaoke on air with Craig David.

Radio 2 All Stars with Dermot O’Leary can be heard on the station, Saturday morning 15 October 1-2am. It will be on BBC Sounds from 1 October.

The station will also pay tribute to Terry Wogan in a newly extended version of Terry Wogan: In His Own Words which first aired in April this year, 50 years after Terry broadcast his first breakfast show on the BBC in 1972.

The programme is hosted by Zoe Ball and centres on a rare, intimate and – before it went out this year – previously unheard interview with Terry. It was recorded in the 1980s following an outside broadcast in Brighton.

Terry tells his story and gives his take on his life and career. It includes contributions from Dame Joanna Lumley, Dallas star Patrick Duffy, Gaby Roslin, Claudia Winkleman, Fearne Cotton, Scott Mills, Ken Bruce, Dermot O’Leary, Chris Moyles, Greg James and Michael Ball.

This extended version includes more from Terry’s in-depth conversation, with longer clips from the programme in Brighton. There are extra contributions from former BBC Director General Greg Dyke, Blankety Blank guest Lorraine Chase and excerpts from his successor Chris Evans, paying tribute at the Westminster Abbey Service Of Thanksgiving for the life and work of Sir Terry Wogan in September 2016.

Terry Wogan: In His Own Words is on BBC Radio 2 early Saturday morning 8 October 2-4am. It will be on BBC Sounds from 7 October.