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Poll results: Will you miss Ken Bruce on Radio 2?

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Veteran broadcaster Ken Bruce leaving BBC Wogan House in London on Friday, after his last day presenting his BBC Radio 2 show, which he has hosted for 31 years. (Image: PA)
Veteran broadcaster Ken Bruce leaving BBC Wogan House in London on Friday, after his last day presenting his BBC Radio 2 show, which he has hosted for 31 years. (Image: PA)

BBC Radio 2 stalwart Ken Bruce has left the station after keeping us entertained for more than three decades - and he's taken many Mirror readers' hearts with him.

The avuncular Scot said goodbye to the Beeb on Friday, with his last song - the final medley of the Beatles' Abbey Road album - perfectly encapsulating the changing times: 'And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make'.

His warm and friendly tones will now grace Greatest Hits Radio (GHR) instead, and it seems he'll be taking a fair few listeners with him when he starts on April 3.

Thousands of you entered our poll will you miss Ken Bruce being on Radio 2?, with 2,680 saying they most certainly would - 'he's part of the Radio 2 furniture!'

Only 183 said they were unmoved by his departure.

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In a follow-up poll, we asked if you'd listen to Ken's Radio 2 replacement Vernon Kay. Only 47 of you said you would entertain the former Radio 1 DJ and I'm a Celebrity finalist, while 484 said they wouldn't.

Speaking after announcing Ken's departure, a BBC spokesperson said: “Radio 2 will continue to be a multi-generational radio station that serves a 35-plus audience, a target audience which hasn’t changed in decades".

Born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1951, Ken began his radio career in Hospital Radio before moving to London where he later took up his role on Radio 2.

The flagship BBC station currently attracts more than 14 million listeners, but the fast-growing commercial rival GHR is nipping at its heels with 4.4 million.

Many of you commented on our story, here's a flavour of what some of you had to say about Ken ...

Singing Ken's praises

Dianebeatlefan: "I was in tears when Ken played the Beatles' Golden Slumbers as his last song. Ken you got me through lockdown when we had to stay in. I always enjoyed PopMaster and your friendly banter with Richie. 'And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make' is fitting to a great, lovely man who will be sorely missed. I don't understand the BBC's attitude, shame on them."

RickWeightman: "Probably the best presenter on Radio 2. He will be dearly missed. All Radio 2 seem to play these days is dance music!"

JustMe51: "The BBC is losing touch with its core audiences - I imagine because they have lots of 'young things' in charge, who KNOW what we want!"

Tulipali: "Ken Bruce being pushed out early was the last straw for me. I’ve been listening to Radio 2 for about 40 years, but recently it seems the BBC is determined to change it into another Radio 1. Heaven forbid they should have any presenters over a certain age. Ken was perfect for Radio 2 - his soothing dulcet tones, his ability to do the job well, a sense of humour and more than a shred of intelligence, and with no personal axe to grind. I suspect I won’t be the only one looking elsewhere."

Nannyogg: "I will miss him very much."

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Not bothered

King-Bee: "Ken who?"

Brok: "Never listened to Radio 2"

HelenT: "No. I only listen to Radio 4 and the World Service".

Paul Speed

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