The BBC’s move to give Vernon Kay Ken Bruce’s mid-morning spot has angered fans and intensified the ‘ageism’ tempest consuming Radio 2. However, MailOnline can today disclose that the company could save £100,000 annually by hiring “younger and cheaper” talent.
In less than a month, the 72-year-old seasoned Broadcaster will end his program and switch to competitor Best Hits radio, where Kay has signed a two-year contract.
However, sources in the industry claim that given his age and dearth of radio expertise compared to the senior who attracts 8.2 million people each week, Vernon is unlikely to receive Ken Bruce’s £389,999-a-year pay.
According to the insider, Vernon’s managers would have started with Ken’s pay but would have likely bargained it down to £250,000 to £300,000 to reflect that he has significantly less expertise than Ken. He is presumably less expensive and youthful.
In a long series of veteran Broadcasters, Ken Bruce is the most recent, but his devoted followers have sworn to follow him and his beloved Popmaster challenge.
In the UK, his mid-morning program is the most watched.
So-called “Radio 2 exiles” are unhappy about the station’s darker programming and the station’s ever-younger Announcers performing more contemporary music. Ken is rumoured to share similar concerns.
After firing its elder icons, Radio 2 has lost 580,000 followers in the past year. Fiona Rees, a former listener to the channel, tweeted: “This has had a tremendous effect on me. Nothing but bad… Ken Bruce has been replaced by Vernon Kay. Radio 2 has completely lost its identity.
Ageism allegations against the BBC this summer After Steve Wright, 68, Graham Norton, 59, and Simon Mayo, 64, all departed and were succeeded by a fresher line-up, Paul O’Grady quit Radio 2. Craig Charles, 58, and Vanessa Feltz, 60, have also moved on. Ms. Feltz claimed her departure was motivated by the fact that she was a lady over 60.
Listeners have started tuning out due to younger broadcasters playing more contemporary mainstream music and eschewing elder “baby-boomer” DJs in favor of “Gen Z” and younger listeners.
“I’ve been quite encouraging of the adjustments to Radio 2,” Dan Tappin commented. “The channel needs to alter to represent 40-year-olds today.” Vernon Kay, however, is not the right stand-in for Ken Bruce.
Vernon Kay will take over for Ken Bruce, Dan Rowley continued. poor boy Like when Moyes succeeded Ferguson.
It has been said that Bruce’s position is the “largest, most desired” one in broadcasting.
According to an insider, Vernon has enormous footsteps to complete because Ken’s program is the most watched in Europe. But because he presents in such a friendly, relaxed manner, his audience has warmed up to him.
Although Vernon has many original, creative ideas for this program, he won’t attempt to remake the machine because he wants the viewers to feel at home and secure.
Everyone at the Beeb is extremely happy to welcome him.
Although contracts are believed to have been inked last week, an official statement is anticipated to be made in the next few days.
On April 3, Kay, who is wed to Strictly Come Dancing anchor Tess Daly, will emcee his first program.
Following the widespread exit of some of its most well-known presenters, Radio 2 has been charged with ageism.
Steve Wright, 68, Paul O’Grady, 67, Vanessa Feltz, 60, and Simon Mayo, 64, have all said goodbye to the service in recent months.
Ken is the most-listened-to Broadcaster in Europe, and according to an insider, he has nothing left to show at the BBC.
He has had a wonderful experience working there and is extremely appreciative of all of his followers’ dedication.
However, a discernible change in focus recently has been driven by a desire to draw in a younger audience.
Bruce reportedly left Radio 2 last month because he felt “unloved” by his managers, who, according to BBC sources, neglected to comfort him about a new deal despite wanting to retain him.
According to one insider, despite the wish to keep the Deejay, Britain’s most well-known radio presenter, a “mix-up” prevented him from being informed. He is said to have joined business competitor Best Favorites Radio as a result of this.
The sudden news of the 71-year-old presenter’s exit is now alleged to have caused strife within the BBC because many believe it could have been avoided entirely.
They certainly intended to extend his contract, but due to a mix-up, nobody informed him, according to one reliable source. He did not want to inquire because he is a prideful individual. They all said, “But we were about to give you a three-year contract,” when he informed them he was leaving. Quite late.
Another station insider, however, refuted the contract allegations, saying that Ken had been told on numerous occasions that his status on Radio 2 was secure.
The Scottish celebrity is thought to have been disturbed by the manner the broadcaster terminated long-running host Steve Wright’s program last year in an effort to attract younger viewers.
Bruce reportedly begged his managers to cease having him perform “tuneless party music,” but he never got an appropriate answer.
Ken felt neglected, the source at Radio 2 reportedly informed the Mail. Our target group was described as “mood mothers,” but we were never informed who they were or what they wanted, which contributed to the problem. Ken had urged them to stop having him play tuneless dance music, but it appears that his letters never received an answer. We have begun to play a lot of tuneless dance music.
The insider also said that Wright’s exit had only served to concentrate his thoughts after accusing managers of being “asleep at the wheel.” They failed to take into account how firing Steve might affect the other speakers.
For 31 of his 45 years at the BBC, Bruce has been hosting his Radio 2 mid-morning program. However, devoted viewers are growing increasingly irritated with what they perceive to be a change toward a younger audience.
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