RADIO 2 40th BIRTHDAY SCHEDULE
30 SEPTEMBER 2007
Terry Wogan introduces a variety of Radio 2 highlights from the past 40 years including a special recording of Pick Of The Pops With Smashie And Nicey; the chance to hear a previously ‘lost' live performance from Paul Simon; an edition of The Kenny Everett Radio Show; classic comedy from Round The Horne and the return of Paul Hollingdale, Ed Stewart and Michael Aspel to the network.
Programme schedule for Sunday 30 September
Breakfast Special With Paul Hollingdale, 0900-0955
Paul Hollingdale – the first voice heard on Radio 2 – returns to present a special edition of Breakfast Special, featuring music played on that first programme 40 years ago, and sharing memories of life in the studio.
Five To Ten, 0955-1000
A recording of Paul Simon performing a live version of I Am A Rock from 1965 features in this new edition of Five To Ten – a predecessor to the current Pause For Thought – presented by Colin Semper. The former BBC Head of Religious Broadcasting presented Five To Ten on Radio 2's first day.
Junior Choice With Ed Stewart, 1000-1100
Ed 'Stewpot' Stewart returns with a special edition of the hugely popular listener request show, Junior Choice.
Submit your memories of Junior Choice to Ed!
The Kenny Everett Radio Show, 1100-1300
Kenny Everett, one of the iconic figures of British radio, returned to the BBC in October 1981 after a spell in commercial radio. This programme is the first show he presented on Radio 2, broadcast on 3 October 1981, and contains Everett's unique mix of madcap humour and music.
Family Favourites With Michael Aspel, 1300-1430
Michael Aspel presents an edition of the weekly record request show that started life on the Light Programme in 1945 linking London with the British Forces Network in Germany.
Submit your requests and dedications for Family Favourites
Alternatively, send them to BBC Radio 2, Western House, 99 Great Portland Street, London, W1A 4WW.
During the show, Michael announces the winner of Radio 2's Ultimate Icon vote – the person Radio 2 listeners feel best represents the past four decades.
Pick Of The Pops With Smashie And Nicey, 1430-1630
Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse resurrect their spoof DJs Smashie and Nicey for a one-off two-hour Pick Of The Pops special, running down the chart from the last week of September 1967.
The Top 10 features records by Cliff Richard, Tom Jones, Traffic, The Flowerpot Men, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Small Faces and The Move, climaxing in the number one record – The Last Waltz by Engelbert Humperdinck.
Brian Matthew, 1630-1830
Brian Matthew presents a Birthday Special, guiding listeners through the Sixties with favourite music tracks and revealing interviews and anecdotes about the stars of the period, who were often personal friends.
As well as landmark music releases from the decade, Brian will play archive interviews with the individual Beatles, Cilla Black, Dusty Springfield, Marianne Faithfull, Pete Townshend (talking of his ambitions to one day write a rock opera), Graham Nash, Chris Curtis, Matt Monro, Colin Blunstone and Petula Clark.
The interviews were often recorded very early in the star's careers. Many of the star interviews have not been heard before in the UK.
Semprini Serenade, 1830-1930
"Old Ones, New Ones, Loved Ones, Neglected Ones..." So began a programme that was part of the BBC Light Programme and later Radio 2 for more than 25 years and 700 programmes.
Pianist Alberto Semprini was born in Bath, but was of Italian extraction, and entertained a large and loyal audience with his brand of light classical music. This edition of Semprini Serenade featuring Semprini and the Serenade Orchestra, conducted by Vilem Tausky, was broadcast on 24 January 1971.
Round The Horne, 1930-2000
Round The Horne is one of the classic BBC radio comedies. Radio 2 was only a few months old when it broadcast series four. This edition, Frankenstein's Monster, was first broadcast on 10 March 1968.
Sing Something Simple, 2000-2030
Sing Something Simple – "songs simply sung for song-lovers" – was a radio institution for over 40 years, first on the Light Programme, and then on Radio 2.
It featured half an hour of easy listening arrangements of popular songs performed by the Cliff Adams Singers. The programme came to an end with the death of Cliff Adams in October 2001.
This edition featured in Radio 2's 40th birthday celebrations and was originally broadcast on 16 March 2000.
