He attended Christian Brothers School and, after his graduation, worked as a clerk in a magistrate's court. William and Kate worried Prince George will be overwhelmed at King Charles coronation, Beyond Paradise fans turns emotional at Ruth Madocs final on-screen appearance. . BBC Radio 2 listeners are up in arms after hearing fan favourite Paul OGrady is being taken off air after 23 years to be replaced by younger comedian Rob Beckett. Now, OGrady, who left Radio 2 in 2021 after being asked to share his slot with comedian Rob Beckett, has explained the motivation behind his decision. Posts. Of course, theyd smell it down the corridor and the manager would be up saying, Are you cooking in the room?. "So I'm not going anywhere. OGrady has said this weekends show will be his final broadcast: Ive loved doing my Sunday afternoon show for the last 14 years and Im going to miss my listeners as well as the fun Ive had with my producer, Malcolm Prince, but I feel that now is the right time to go.. Reels. The BBC's Eurovision Song Contest's commentator Graham Norton kicked off the exodus of stars moving on from Radio 2 in 2020, when the presenter quit his weekend slot at the station. Youd also have to be a real cynic not to be melted by the warmth of Saturday afternoons with Rylan Clark, and what is not to love about the lovely Liza Tarbuck and those uplifting listener tales? . Listen, Kay wouldnt have been my first choice, but lets give the man a chance. The presenter will be absent from BBC Radio 2 for 13 weeks. Meanwhile, the keen farmer produced his own chutney and jam - but he couldn't shake off the boredom, and was elated when the time came to return to work. Remembering that his initial work for Radio 2 had been as an occasional stand-in presenter 14 years ago before he was handed his current show in 2009, he said: "I only came to do a few hours for Elaine Paige and look what happened.". Paul O'Grady has expressed his "disappointment" with BBC Radio 2, saying "it's not what it was". Why do they never ask the listeners for their views? "Thank you very much for the kind words. A Radio 2 spokeswoman said:'Ken decided to leave Radio 2 and it's always been known he's leaving in March. No offence to Rob but two completely different personalities and audiences. You can unsubscribe at any time. I know youre not supposed to but I like working with kids. and The 67-year-old broadcaster spoke out following the newsBruce was leaving the BBC station after 45 years to go to commercial rival Greatest Hits Radio. "This show stays," he confirmed, referring to his popular weekend programme, before reassuring fans he will be doing ''other exciting projects for Radio 2 in the future.'. I had intended fulfilling my contract until the end of March but the BBC has decided it wants me to leave earlier. Paul O'Grady is leaving BBC Radio 2, saying it was "the right time to go". Join Paul for an exclusive live afternoon chat and book signing at. In July last year, Vanessa Feltz decided to turn her early alarm off for good and quit quit BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio London. "We wish Paul the very best of luck and hope to work . 736K followers. Im not good in hotels. An industry insider said the move by the BBC made the broadcaster look 'very ungracious' about Bruce's 'decades of service'. You may want to read Metas Instagram cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. 'They became frustrated by the rival station launching a marketing campaign for his show. The former Lily Savage star has been hosting a Sunday evening show on the station from 5pm until 7pm since 2009. Graham Norton and Nick Grimshaw nominated for Metro.co.uk's top host gong at LGBT Awards. Paul is also known for his Paul O'Grady: For the Love of Dogs and Paul O'Grady's Animal Orphans as well as presenting BBC Radio 2's Paul O'Grady on the Wireless. Theyve already asked me! We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Youll get a dog coming in thats in a terrible state and terrified of its own shadow. Within the space of three years, Radio 2 has seen many of its long-standing stars quit the show and move on . Dec 19, 2022. O'Grady and Beckett had been swapping over every 13 weeks in the slot, after a shake-up to the station's schedule. Paul O'Grady, best known for hosting For the Love of Dogs, has filled the Sunday evening BBC Radio 2 slot from 5pm . Other casualties include some of our most beloved presenters, including Vanessa Feltz, Graham Norton and Simon Mayo who have all left their shows for other stations and now, we bid farewell to Ken Bruce, his wonderful weekday midmorning show and his dulcet Scottish tones. So what do you think of this story? There are currently no available episodes, Paul shares another recipe. BBC Radio 2 is introducing some schedule changes on a Sunday afternoon and has announced its special programming for the Spring. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Audio Producer #TeamPOGradio with Paul O'Grady. The BAFTA . "Were going to miss you lots Ken and want to congratulate you on a fantastic career at the BBC.". This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. Elsewhere on radio, Jane Garvey, Fi Glover . But this week it was announced that Paul will be absent for the next 13 weeks and that his show will now only run for 13 week seasons at a time. Paul O'Grady has criticised Radio 2, saying 'it's not what it was' after Ken Bruce quit his primetime show. Vernon Kay has been announced as Bruces replacement, and will join fellow DJs Zoe Ball, Dermot OLeary, Rylan and Steve Wright. "Obviously I'm sad to be stepping away from my Radio 2 show," Graham said in a statement at the time. Many other shows have also been moved on the station's schedule. The 67-year-old has been at the station for 14 years and has hosted the Sunday afternoon slot since 2009. O'Grady came to prominence in the 1990s as a stand-up comedian with a Scouse drag queen persona, Lily Savage, with which he presented game show Blankety Blank and other light entertainment programmes. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? There is Zoe Balls breakfast show, still by far the most popular breakfast show on the airwaves. This article contains content provided by Instagram. I am absolutely over the moon, I really am.'. Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter'. If you go off for 13 weeks and somebody else comes on, the listeners dont know when youre back on. Vernon Kay was this week announced as his replacement and broke down in tears while talking about his new role. Their daughter, Sharyn, was born in 1974. Let's enjoy the week ahead!'. However, he announced his decision to part ways with the station last year, insisting that it was "the right time to go" under the circumstances. Although Paul has joked that he has repeatedly asked ITV whether they really want him back for another series, it looks like keen fans certainly haven't seen the last of him yet. 'It is part of us, it is in our DNA - Ken Bruce is mid-mornings. Pauls taking #TeamPOGradio to @BoomRadioUK for the annual Christmas show! Show More Posts from paulogrady. "I will enjoy a dollop of energy-boosting shut-eye to swing from zip-lines with my three effervescent grandchildren and frolic with my fianc Ben, who irritatingly remains 10 years younger than me!". It emerged today that Bruce is leaving his BBC Radio 2 role a month early because the corporation reportedly became frustrated that his shows were 'free advertising' for his next station. Absence explained. Paul has recently decided to quit BBC Radio 2 after 14 years and his final show aired on Sunday (August 14). This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Paul O'Grady is set to play Miss Hannigan in Annie (Picture: Rex/Metro) TV host Paul O'Grady, 67, . Paul O'Grady. #POGDOGS. Read about our approach to external linking. 5-min read. He said: 'I was called in at 12.30 and told that my final show would be a week today and wasn't given any real reason that I understood. He started off working the drag circuit with his act across pubs and . The comedian, 67 . The decision to replace Bruce has sparked a backlash from loyal listeners, who hit out at the BBC over its treatment of the veteran presenter. Paul O'Grady reflects on another birthday. Bruce revealed last week he had intended to fulfil the remainder of his contract to the end of March, but said the BBC wanted him to leave earlier. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. By Care worker for Camden, the Vauxhall Tavern's drag-show compere and now Cupid on Blind Date, Paul O'Grady discusses love, loss and loathing the Tories And I always have a look for bed bugs! However, the For the Love of Dogs presenter has since been snapped up by Boom Radio UK for a one-off Christmas Day special. In just a handful of years, the stations schedule has undergone so much change that the media has referred to a Radio 2 bloodbath, and OGrady is just one of those who has fallen victim. All rights reserved. Although the presenter had fully intended to continue as contracted until the end of March, the BBC decided Friday would be his last show. Fellow celebrity Vanessa Feltz, who is 61 and also left Radio 2 last year, claimed on This Morning: "I would imagine that it's a feeling of some sense of ageism at the BBC and that once you get over a certain age, your days are numbered. Radio 2 announces today that presenter Paul O'Grady has decided to leave his Sunday afternoon show on the network. The broadcaster, 67, took to the Radio 2 airwaves one last time earlier today . Two other big names - Vanessa Feltz and Craig Charles - have been announced in recent months as leaving the station, while Steve Wright is also vacating his weekday afternoon slot to be replaced by Scott Mills. Malcolm Prince. Whether your football team lost, your plans got cancelled, or you burnt your roast dinner, we will put a smile on your face and if youre already smiling, then expect a full Cheshire Cat grin., Paul O'Grady's BBC Radio 2 show taken off air until May 2022. Theyre trying to aim for a much younger audience, which doesnt make sense because youve got Radio 1 [for that]," he stated. Read about our approach to external linking. I was disappointed, because Im a great believer in continuity, he told Metro.co.uk, adding: If you go off for 13 weeks and somebody else comes on, the listeners dont know when youre back on., He continued: Radio 2 has changed; its not what it was. What I think is happening is that we are passing through a period of turbulence. The 67-year-old has hosted the Sunday . On Monday, Paul gave insight into the fact his show was being taken off the air for more than three months stating that the decision was not his idea. In the meantime, lets look at what we still have. In need of constant stimulation, he struggled to thrive without human contact while he was confined to his farm in Kent. , updated BBC Radio 2 confirmed the news that Paul O'Grady was leaving at approximately 11 am on Tuesday, 9 August 2022. Do you have a story to sell? 'I had intended fulfilling my contract until the end of March but the BBC has decided it wants me to leave earlier. Ahead of his final show, O'Grady cited the change as the reason he was going. The Paul O'Grady Show is a British comedy chat show presented by comedian Paul O'Grady, first shown on 11 October 2004.The programme is a teatime chat show consisting of a mixture of celebrity guests, comic stunts, musical performances, and occasionally viewer competitions.. Paul admitted it was a "marriage of convenience", saying he wedded Teresa Fernandes in 1977 to stop her from being deported. We wish Ken all the best for the future.. Rory Tingle For Mailonline The comedian, 67, has hosted a Sunday afternoon programme on the UKs most popular radio station for the last 14 years. Published: Tuesday, 9th August 2022 at 11:20 am. 15:37 GMT 28 Feb 2023 Vanessa Feltz, 61, and Craig Charles, 58, have also moved on. They said: 'It shows zero respect for Ken and what he has done for Radio 2.'. Besides Sausage and his other dogs, Paul also keeps pigs, chickens, sheep, goats and fluffy alpacas, meaning there's never a quiet moment on the farm. Paul O'Grady leaves Sunday Radio 2 show after 14 years. The 67-year-old has been at the station for 14 years and has hosted the Sunday afternoon slot since 2009.