Greatest Hits Radio presenter Ken Bruce has said his slot on Radio 2 “became the biggest show on radio” but claimed this “wasn’t mentioned by the BBC at all”.
The 73-year-old from Scotland, who had regularly presented his mid-morning programme from 9.30am to midday for more than 30 years, left the station in March 2023 and was replaced by Vernon Kay.
Speaking to The Telegraph about when his show became the “biggest” on the station, he said: “If you’ve been somewhere for a while, there’s an expectation that you’re going to deliver. And you always do.”
He added: “I didn’t want any hoo-ha, so when my show became the biggest show on radio, I didn’t want to say anything about it but I kind of thought the BBC should.
“I wasn’t expecting to be carried on a litter with people strewing palms in front of me, but I thought, surely that’s worth a mention? As far as I’m aware, it wasn’t mentioned by the BBC at all. Ever.”
Reflecting on his move to Greatest Hits Radio, he added: “Every so often you need a bit of a change in life and, so far, so good.
“I’ve really felt at home since pretty much day one.”
Bruce also spoke about his former co-worker at Radio 2, Steve Wright, who died last month at the age of 69.
The Glasgow-born radio presenter rejected media reports that Wright had died of a “broken heart”.
He said: “Above all, Steve was a realist.
“Nobody likes to be taken off a show… but it’s something we all have as a possibility at the back of our mind.
“Nothing is forever.
“It’s happened for decades – Jimmy Young was asked to move on before he was ready and there was nothing wrong with his figures, it was because they felt he was representing an age group that they didn’t want to have represented any more.
Thank you Ken and congratulations on fantastic career at the BBC! 🧡 pic.twitter.com/jMHHKT1tgL
— BBC Radio 2 (@BBCRadio2) March 3, 2023
“These decisions are taken, we are the foot soldiers, and we just go along with what’s wanted.
“For most people, there’s an option of going to work somewhere else or work in a different way in the same place.
“Very rarely does somebody have the rug pulled from under them with nothing left.”
Bruce’s first regular slot on Radio 2 was the Saturday Late Show in 1984.
He now plays the biggest songs of the 70s, 80s and 90s every weekday morning on Greatest Hits Radio.
The BBC has been approached for comment.
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