Your Ultimate Radio 2 Line-Up, And Who Would You Ban From There?

[thesshhh]

Who would feature in your ultimate Radio 2 schedule on weekdays? I'd have Noel Edmonds on early mornings, Mike Read on the breakfast show, mid-mornings Simon Bates or maybe Ken Bruce, lunchtimes no news talk show just Tony Blackburn, early afternoons Simon Mayo, late afternoons/early evenings Paul O'Grady or Len Goodman, late evenings Sara Cox or Zoe Ball and maybe Liza Tarbuck.

Weekends I'd get David Hamilton on Sounds Of The 60s, Tony Blackburn back on Pick Of The Pops, and Noel Edmonds on Sounds Of The 70s

I'd never want any of this lot on Radio 2 ever again: Chris Evans, Craig Charles, Steve Wright, Clare Teal, Clare Balding, Diane Louise Jordan, Paul Gambaccini.

[Captain2]

Well that shows how different people are.
Of your weekday list, the only one I'd have is Ken Bruce and wouldn't have any of your weekend presenters.
There again I would have Clare Teal; I like her enthusiam and play lists.

[MargoTester]

As long as they leave Ken Bruce where he is and get rid of Steve Wright and Sara Cox I'd be happy

[vernonk]

R2 need a major cull. Wrighty must be forced to stop serious jockin. Evans must go too

[Fanriffic]

It's probably easier just to say who should leave Radio 2 because all the shows on Radio 2 are very good and it would improve if the following people just weren't on the schedules:
Steve Wright, Chris Evans, Jeremy Vine, Elaine Paige and Diane Louise Jordan. They all must go.

King of Radio 2 is Ken Bruce - love the show - great music and enjoy the Pop Master Quiz. Long may he present his show.

[Zacs-Master]

Your line up theshhh is possibly my worst nightmare. Radio 2 needs some new blood not a resurgence of 80s hasbeens.

[Maydup]

I'll have your rejects and listen to all of them all day long in preference to listening to Noel Edmonds ever, ever!

[andy-hughes]

I'd return Radcliffe and Maconie, ditch Jo Whiley, put Gambo back on America’s Greatest Hits, put Blackburn back on Pick Of The Pops, jettison Sarah Cox, Craig Charles, and send the following for some training – Liza Tarbuck – stop whooping and hollering like an alien, and stop that awful laugh, Paul O’Grady – be yourself and not that dreadful vinegary old queen persona you have adopted.

Do not under any circumstances bring back Simon Bates, a man who looked the age he is now forty years ago, and his horrible actor-manager voice – and maybe return Long and Lester to their late-night slots, I never listened to either, but clearly many did, and miss them.

[Buenchico]

I'd move many of the late evening specialist programmes (big band music, threatre organs, etc) to the weekends, leaving a weekday schedule roughly as follows:

0000-0300: Janice Long (Back where she belongs)

0300-0600: Richard Allinson (A brilliant late-night presenter, sadly missing from Radio 2 these days due to budget cuts)

0600-0900: Alex Lester (A zany sense of humour to grace the breakfast show in the way that Terry Wogan's did).

0900-1200: Ken Bruce (A natural for the mornings)

1200-1500: Lynn Bowles (She's an outstanding presenter on Radio Wales). No ruddy phone-ins on topical issues though!

1500-1800: Simon Mayo (A great drive-time presenter)

1800 -2100: Across each of the first nights, and in no particular order: Jamie Cullum (Jazz), Mike Harding (Folk), Bob Harris (Country) and Elaine Paige (Film & Musicals, moved from Sundays), with 'Friday Night Is Music Night' taking that spot at the end of the wek

2100-2400: Across each of the five nights, and in no particular order: Lucy Doran (moving her World Music show from Radio 3 and extending it), Bob Harris (classic tracks and new music) , Huey Morgan (equally eclectic), Paul Jones (Blues) and Dermot O'Leary (Indie)

[andy-hughes]

Chris - I would concur with virtually all of your proposed R2 changes - covering the public broadcasting remit as widely as possible with appropriate specialists in their right places.

My only exception would be Richard Allinson, whom I believe to be in the same bracket as Johnny Walker - possessed of one of the truly great radio voices, but unfortunately also possessed of the personality and intellect of a cabbage.

[Buenchico]

I suspect, Andy, that you've only heard Richard Allinson when he's been confined by the format of someone else's show. (i.e. when he's covered for someone on holiday). He's the type of DJ who doesn't work too well within a metaphorical straitjacket!

In the 'good old days' Alex Lester had the 3am weekday slot on Radio 2, with Richard Allison taking over at weekends. His show was just as wacky and anarchic as the Dark Lord's, where his personality really shone through.

[andy-hughes]

Chris - you are quite right in your assumption - perhaos I have misjudged RA, although with the changes afoot, it doesn't look likely that R2 are looking to previous encumbents to take over their increasingly vacated slots.

Apart from the emperor and radio god that is Tony Blackburn, who is apparently being lined up for a Saturday morning show. From there it should be a short hop back to Pick Of The Pops, his true home.

[maggiebee]

Just so long as they keep Ken Bruce and bring back Brian Matthew's Sounds of the Sixties on a Saturday morning I'd be a happy bunny. Oh, and Tony Blackburn back for Pick of the Pops.

[Captain2]

I want to nominate Chris as the new Head of Radio to the Director General of the BBC. Can't fault your line up at all Chris. :))