UK

Radio 2 has announced that Suspicious Minds is the nation’s favourite Elvis Presley song, according to its listeners.

It takes the Number 1 spot in Your Ultimate Elvis Song, the Top 40 chart of single releases by Elvis as voted for by the station’s listeners – with over 100,000 votes cast – to mark what would have been his 90th birthday on 8th January 2025.
Hosted by Vernon Kay, Your Ultimate Elvis Song is broadcast on Radio 2 from 3-5pm and on BBC Sounds on New Year’s Day, and also features some special words for the listeners from Priscilla Presley who introduces the Number 1 track.
In the Number 2 spot is In The Ghetto, Number 3 is If I Can Dream, Number 4 is Always On My Mind and Number 5 is Can’t Help Falling In Love. The full Top 40 chart is listed below.
For the vote, which launched in November in Vernon’s mid-morning show listeners were asked to select up to five of their favourite tracks from Elvis’s 90 Top 20 UK hits.
In Your Ultimate Elvis Song, Vernon counts down the listeners’ Top 40 chart and reveals more extraordinary facts and stats and behind-the-scenes insights from BBC Archive interview clips with Elvis himself.
Vernon says: “The King has earned another crown! Radio 2 listeners have had their say and I couldn’t be happier with their favourite hit, and to have it introduced by Priscilla Presley is such an honour. I’m a huge Elvis fan so I can’t wait to bring you two hours of the very best from his incredible catalogue of unforgettable songs.”
The Top 40 favourite Elvis singles as voted for by Radio 2 listeners are:
1 Suspicious Minds
2 In The Ghetto
3 If I Can Dream
4 Always On My Mind
5 Can’t Help Falling In Love
6 The Wonder Of You
7 An American Trilogy
8 Burning Love
9 I Just Can’t Help Believin’
10 Jailhouse Rock
11 Love Me Tender
12 A Little Less Conversation (Elvis vs JXL)
13 Are You Lonesome Tonight?
14 Viva Las Vegas
15 Hound Dog
16 Return To Sender
17 (You’re The) Devil In Disguise
18 Wooden Heart
19 Heartbreak Hotel
20 (Marie’s The Name) His Latest Flame
21 It’s Now Or Never
22 The Girl Of My Best Friend
23 Blue Suede Shoes
24 All Shook Up
25 Way Down
26 Guitar Man
27 That’s All Right
28 Blue Christmas
29 Crying In The Chapel
30 Don’t Cry Daddy
31 King Creole
32 You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me
33 Suspicion
34 (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear
35 Moody Blue
36 One Night
37 Don’t (with The Jordinaires)
38 Such A Night
39 She’s Not You
40 Promised Land

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Bournemouth-based commercial radio station Bournemouth One has joined the Arqiva Bournemouth DAB multiplex giving it coverage across Dorset.

The station, which launched on New Year’s Day 2024, has just given away a smart-speaker a day during December to celebrate 12 months of online streaming.
Now it’s looking forward to welcoming even more listeners around the area, as co-founder Sophie Greenwood told RadioToday: “Our first 12 months online has been so much fun, and so valuable in helping us welcome many loyal listeners, partners and advertisers to Bournemouth One.
Co-founder and CEO Roy Martin (owner of RadioToday) adds: “Our listeners have been asking for us to be on the actual radio ever since they discovered us online, so this is our birthday present to them.
Bournemouth One broadcasts a presenter-free format of nonstop music only interrupted for its “20/20 Update”, which contains around 2 minutes of local real-time relevant information from its local newsteam.
On-air announcers and journalists include Andy Diprose, Glen Hunt, Lorna Child and David Harber, along with AI voices for some of the information elements.

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BBC Radio 2 presenter Johnnie Walker has died aged 79.

The sad news was announced by Bob Harris on the station this afternoon (Tuesday, 31st December 2024).
His last show was on BBC Radio 2 earlier this year and he has been a radio presenter for almost 60 years.
Tim Davie, BBC Director General, said: “We are deeply saddened by the news of Johnnie’s passing and our thoughts are with his family and friends, as well as everyone at Radio 2.
“Johnnie was a pop radio pioneer and a champion of great music, entertaining millions of beloved listeners on the BBC across decades, most recently hosting two shows on Radio 2. No-one loved the audience as much as Johnnie, and we loved him back.”
BBC Radio 2 is currently paying tribute to Johnnie at the time of publishing.
Tiggy Walker, Johnnie’s wife, says: “I couldn’t be more proud of Johnnie – how he kept broadcasting almost to the end and with what dignity and grace he coped with his debilitating lung disease. He remained his charming, humorous self to the end, what a strong amazing man. It has been a rollercoaster ride from start to finish.
“And if I may say – what a day to go. He’ll be celebrating New Year’s Eve with a stash of great musicians in heaven. One year on from his last live show. God bless that extraordinary husband of mine who is now in a place of peace.”
Helen Thomas, Head of BBC Radio 2, says: “Everyone at Radio 2 is heartbroken about the passing of Johnnie, a much loved broadcasting legend.
“He made Sounds of the 70s and The Rock Show appointments to listen to, sharing his personal memories and tales each week. He loved radio and inspired a generation of presenters, passionately promoting the artists and music he cared about so deeply.
“Johnnie’s wry sense of humour and his warm, open style of presenting ensured he was adored by his audience. The airwaves simply won’t be the same again. He will be very much missed by Radio 2 presenters, staff and listeners alike, and our thoughts are with his wife Tiggy and his children.”
Lorna Clarke, BBC Director of Music, says: “Johnnie was a truly wonderful broadcaster, and a devoted music fan. There was nothing he loved more than introducing new artists, such as The Eagles, Rod Stewart, Lou Reed and Elton John in the early 70s on his Radio 1 show which attracted millions of listeners. We’re incredibly lucky to have had such a unique presenter as Johnnie on the BBC airwaves for so long.”
Johnnie Walker began his radio career in 1966 on Swinging Radio England, an offshore pirate station, before moving to the legendary Radio Caroline, becoming a household name by hosting a hugely popular night-time show.
After the closure of Radio Caroline, Johnnie joined BBC Radio 1 in 1969, continuing until 1976 and establishing a reputation as a DJ who prioritised records above chat. On his lunchtime show, which launched in 1971, he pioneered new names like Steve Harley, Lou Reed, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles and Steely Dan. Pop The Question and Tuesday Chart Rundown were other well remembered features of the show. Following his departure from Radio 1, he moved to San Francisco in 1976, where he recorded a weekly show which was broadcast on Radio Luxembourg.
Johnnie returned home in the early 80s, and following stints with ILR Radio West and Wiltshire Radio in the West Country, he returned to Radio 1 to present The Stereo Sequence in 1987. In the following years, he also presented shows on the new BBC local station BBC GLR and BBC Radio 5 Live.
Johnnie then joined Radio 2 in 1997, presenting documentaries and depping for shows across the station, presenting his own Saturday afternoon show in 1998. Over 30 years of music knowledge was then channelled into Radio 2’s Drive show (5-7pm) which he hosted from 1999. In June 2003, Johnnie broke the news to his listeners that he had cancer, and would be taking a break. He returned to his show in March 2004, with Eric Clapton’s Hello Old Friend.
Johnnie left Radio 2 Drive in 2006 to present a new Sunday show on the station, whilst also depping for Terry Wogan on the Radio 2 Breakfast show, as well as presenting station specials. That same year he was awarded an MBE in HM The Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for Services to Broadcasting, collecting his award from the then Prince Charles.
Johnnie went on to present two shows on Radio 2 – Sounds of the 70s (from April 2009) and The Rock Show, which Johnnie launched in 2018 with his first guest Ozzy Osbourne.
Johnnie’s last episode of The Rock Show aired on Friday 25th October, 11pm-12am, and his final episode of Sounds of the 70s aired on Sunday 27th October, 3-5pm.
On 10th June 2024, Johnnie and Tiggy Walker appeared on the Jeremy Vine show (from 1pm) as part of a discussion around Carers Week on the programme (12-2pm, BBC Radio 2).
Radio 2 will be paying tribute to Johnnie today in shows and also in the New Year. A collection of programmes showcasing Johnnie’s life and career will be available in BBC Sounds shortly.

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Lots of people from the radio industry have been recognised in the latest New Year Honours list, including Steve Lamacq, Myleene Klass, Hugo Duncan, Eamonn O’Neal and June Snowden.

BBC Radio 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to broadcasting and music venues.
MBEs also go to Global’s Myleene Klass for services to women’s health, miscarriage awareness and to charity, whilst BBC Radio Ulster presenter Hugo Duncan is named for services to entertainment and to the community in Northern Ireland.
BBC Radio Manchester’s Eamonn O’Neal gets an OBE for services to charitable causes and people with disabilities.
In addition, Valerie June Snowden, long-serving president of the Hospital Broadcasting Association has been awarded the BEM for services to Hospital, Health and Wellbeing Broadcasting.

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Community radio stations Ashdown Radio in Uckfield and WCR in Warminster have applied to change their transmission areas.
In an application to Ofcom, Ashdown Radio says it wants to add an extra transmitter in Heathfield after it was refused permission to increase its current transmitter power with the aim of extra coverage a couple of years ago.
Meanwhile, WCR wants its 105.5FM transmitter to be powered up to serve an extra 8,419 listeners, giving stronger reception to more people in and around the Wiltshire town.
The Technical Change Request Forms were both published this month on the Ofcom website and decisions on the requests should be made public next year.

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An interview conducted by Emma Barnett on the Today programme has been judged the overall winner of “Interview of the Year” by listeners to BBC Radio 4’s Feedback.

The interview, with terminally ill aid worker Simon Boas, was broadcast on July 4th 2024 and was described by judges as “an absolutely beautiful interview which smacked right to the heart.
Emma spoke to Simon with compassion and integrity, asking straight to the point questions without any soppy sympathy.”
Simon Boas, who died ten days after the interview was broadcast, reflected on his life and those he was about to leave behind. “This is almost certainly my final week, but I am so happy and contented. My lovely wife and parents are about to go through one of the most difficult things in their lives, but we all write chapters and all our lives are little books. They’ll go on writing more chapters when I’m gone.”
On receiving the award, Emma Barnett said, “I’ll always be grateful to Simon for using his precious energy to talk to our listeners in the way he did.”
Nominations for the award came entirely from listeners to Radio 4’s Feedback, and a panel of listeners judged a final shortlist of ten on impact, insight and interviewer’s skill.
Feedback, presented by Andrea Catherwood, is produced in Glasgow by independent producer Whistledown.
“This is the second year we’ve run the award, and it’s clear that listeners have really got behind it,” says Whistledown Managing Director David Prest, “It’s a great way to celebrate those “driveway moments”, the interviews which make a real mark and stay with people for a long time”.
Runners up were John Wilson’s interview with film editor Thelma Schoonmaker on This Cultural Life, and an interview on Today with Saudi Ambassador Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud conducted by Mishal Husain.
Also included in the top ten was a powerful interview with Peter Welburn, a victim of the Hull funeral home scandal, conducted by Peter Levy on BBC Radio Humberside.
The full list of nominations:

Clare Balding interviews Dwayne Fields on Ramblings.
Amol Rajan interviews Rev. Giles Fraser on Today
John Wilson interviews Thelma Schoonmaker on This Cultural Life
Nuala McGovern interviews Paul Ford/Tuam baby scandal on Woman’s Hour
Emma Barnett interviews Simon Boas on Today
Peter Levy interviews Peter Welburn on Radio Humberside
Sian Williams interviews Agnes Nisbett on Life Changing
Evan Davis interviews Laura Trott on PM
Mishal Husain interviews the Saudi Arabian ambassador on Today
Lauren Laverne interviews Mark Steel on Desert Island Discs

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