BBC Radio 2's Vernon Kay(Image: Vernon Kay Instagram)
Bolton's very own Vernon Kay has been celebrated as his BBC Radio 2 show was given a major boost, which comes after he recently revealed his new role away from the airwaves.
It was back in February 2023 that Vernon was announced as the new host of the station's mid-morning show, replacing Ken Bruce, who had hosted the programme for 31 years, in May of the same year.
At the time, the TV and radio star said in a statement: "To be hosting the new Radio 2 mid-morning show is a total privilege. It’s going to be an unforgettable start to what promises to be an amazing journey. And to have two music legends coming up in the Radio 2 Piano Room is a dream come true."
And it appears Vernon's as popular as ever, as three years on, the latest listening figures have revealed just that. According to data from research organisation RAJAR the 52-year-old now attracts a weekly audience of 6.8 million to his show.
Elsewhere, listeners to the BBC’s flagship radio channels have either held steady or dipped slightly, though Radio 2 remains comfortably the most popular station in the country.
Scott Mills’ departure from the BBC Radio 2 breakfast slot at the end of March did not lead to a marked drop in listeners to the show, with audiences averaging 6.37 million in April-June, down only slightly from 6.42 million in the previous three months.
Vernon remains popular with BBC Radio 2 listeners(Image: Vernon Kay Instagram)
Mills was sacked by the BBC from his job as host of the show shortly before it emerged the Metropolitan Police had launched an investigation into the 53-year-old in 2016, over allegations of serious sexual offences involving a teenage boy under 16 between 1997 and 2000.
Gary Davies filled in as presenter in April, May and June, with full-time replacement Sara Cox taking over from July 6. The Radio 2 breakfast show continues to be the most popular radio programme broadcast in the UK at that time of the day. The total average weekly audience for Radio 2 in April-June was 12.37 million, down slightly from 12.57 million in January-March.
Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2, said: "I’m delighted that Radio 2 remains the UK’s most popular single radio station in the UK. People are tuning in for over 11 hours each week, which is almost a four-year high.
"Congratulations to Vernon Kay, who hosts the UK’s most listened to radio show with a weekly audience of 6.8 million, his highest figure since 2024. Our 65-plus audience has also risen to a five-year high, and I’d like to congratulate Tony Blackburn, Radio 2’s very own national treasure, whose Sunday evening Golden Hour recorded its highest audience figure since 2021."
Meanwhile, Vernon recently announced that he will be returning to the stage this December, starring in the family favourite pantomime, Sleeping Beauty. He'll take on the role of Billy in the production at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley, which runs from December 5, 2026, to January 3, 2027.
It comes after he won the best newcomer prize at the British Pantomime Awards back in 2023, winning the accolade for his role as Dandini in Cinderella at the Wycombe Swan in High Wycombe in December 2022.
Source: Read the original article on www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk