Veteran broadcaster Ken Bruce thanks listeners and praises the BBC as he signs off from his long-running Radio 2 show
Bruce called the BBC "the finest broadcasting institution in the world" as he leaves for commercial radio
Fellow presenter Jeremy Vine told Bruce: “I’ve worked with some great people and you’re the best.”
After his show's final track - Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End by The Beatles - Bruce says "I have loved being here with you"
But Bruce said earlier it "seems a shame" to be leaving his Radio 2 show earlier than anticipated, saying his BBC contract runs to the end of the month
The last-ever Radio 2 PopMaster contestant, Paul from Norwich, scored 27 out of a possible 39 points
Like Ken Bruce, we're now signing off and closing this page - thanks for listening along with us to the legendary broadcaster's final show on Radio 2.
Today's coverage has been brought to you by Sarah Fowler, Rob Corp, Anna Boyd, Adam Durbin, Andre Rhoden-Paul and (PopMaster supremo) Kathryn Armstrong.
A few minutes ago, Ken Bruce walked out of the Radio 2 studios at Wogan House in central London for the last time as a presenter, greeted by a round of applause by the assembled fans, colleagues and journalists.
Veteran Radio 2 DJ Ken Bruce walks out of Wogan House after broadcasting his final show
Steven McIntosh
Entertainment Reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesScott Mills replaced Steve Wright on Radio 2 last year
Ken Bruce's departure underscores a period of significant upheaval at Radio 2, with several presenters leaving the station either by force or by choice.
Vanessa Feltz and Graham Norton have also been poached by other networks, while Steve Wright was taken off weekday afternoons by station bosses.
Radio audiences tend to be loyal to their favourite presenters and resistant to change, and many Radio 2 listeners have criticised the station for letting so many older DJs go in such a short space of time.
But others argue change is inevitable, and that the departures of long-standing presenters frees up slots for fresh talent.
Scott Mills and Vernon Kay are among the new names who have joined Radio 2, replacing Bruce and Wright respectively. At weekends, Claudia Winkleman replaced Graham Norton while comedian Rob Beckett took over from Paul O'Grady.
In case you missed it earlier, comedian and actor Rob Brydon left a good luck message for Ken Bruce on his final show. You can listen back here.
LISTEN: Rob Brydon recounts being Ken Bruce in an April Fools' Day prank
Darin Graham, BBC News
Ken Bruce fan Geoff, 70, has come down to Radio 2 HQ at the BBC's Wogan House - near London Broadcasting House - from Nottingham in a bid to congratulate his favourite radio presenter.
He says: "I listen to him nearly every day. He's an all-round great guy who will be deeply missed."
"I will be following him to his new show absolutely."
"I like Vernon Kay but he’s got big shoes to fill. It'll take time for the audience to warm to him. We don’t want Bruce to go but these things happen."
Ken Bruce has left the Radio 2 building for the final time after 30 years of hosting his mid-mornings show.
Speaking to reporters, he says: "It's a sad day but looking forward as well...
"I'm happy now. It's all behind me."
He wishes his successor good luck.
And with a bang rather than a whimper, Ken Bruce has finished his final show on Radio 2.
But don't go anywhere yet - we'll be bringing you some more tributes to the great radio DJ before we shut up shop ourselves.
We'd like to join Bruce's listeners in wishing him all the best for the future.
Is it dusty in here?
A classy sign-off from Mr Bruce. He quotes The Beatles' song that's just ended.
"And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make - and I have loved being here with you."
He continues, addressing his loyal listeners: "Thanks so much and may we meet again somewhere."
Ken Bruce then introduces Jeremy Vine's show - for the last time.
And that's it.
In his final link on Radio 2, Bruce has thanked everyone who has played their part in the show over the years - with particular appreciation for listeners.
He says members of the 'Ken Bruce preservation society' have sent him a bottle of an "unnamed Irish cream liqueur" (a BBC-pro to the end).
Bruce singles out producers Phil McGarvey and Janine Maya-Smith, his production team, for thanks as well.
He also has kind words for the BBC, which he says is "still the finest broadcasting institution in the world" and then launches into the appropriately selected final track - Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End, by The Beatles.
Before he signs off Ken Bruce is given a present on air from the team behind the scenes - a picture of them all together.
Joking that the sound of rustling paper is "always good on radio", Bruce also jokes he has finally managed to get his hands on one of the show's t-shirts as part of a Radio 2 goodie bag.
"What size is this, I'll never get into that," he protests, so a quick swap may be in order...
At midday Bruce hands over Radio 2 to Jeremy Vine - who popped in for his usual chat previewing the show.
“I don’t want to say this is my last little conversation with you,” says Vine, to which Bruce reassures him that they will speak again and that he hasn’t blocked his calls…yet.
However, Vine has a bone to pick with Bruce.
He has calculated that the pair spent a strict three minutes a day speaking between their shows, which is 15 minutes a week and an hour every four weeks.
That means that over the 20 years they’ve been colleagues they’ve spent around 200 hours talking…for which he hasn’t been paid.
“You’re saving the BBC a lot of money, well done,” says Bruce, who adds that the time “somehow feels longer”.
But things have ended on a good note.
“I’m going to miss you so much,” Vine has told Bruce. “I’ve worked with some great people and you’re the best.”
Darin Graham, BBC News
A crowd of reporters and photographers have gathered outside the BBC's Wogan House in central London, where the show is broadcast from.
No doubt ITV News and others will be wanting to get a few words from Bruce as he leaves the building for the final time.
Andre Rhoden-Paul
Live Reporter
I’ll be honest, I was quite bemused when I was told I’d be live reporting on Ken Bruce’s last show.
My millennial colleague Adam and I had never listened to his show before, and I first heard of Bruce when news about his departure was reported.
“Would there be interest in this live blog,” I asked myself.
Well, I can put my hands up and say I was wrong. I’ve never been bombarded with so many emails and WhatsApp messages from readers on a story.
It’s been heartening to read their gushing tributes, and after listening for the first time to the show – Bruce’s last – I can understand why.
As a pop and RnB fan, I was surprised by the playlist. Lizzo, Jessie Ware and Mark Ronson interspersed with Jackson 5 classics and unknown numbers that were quirky and interesting like pop-jazz song Birdland by the Weather Report.
The musical merry-go-round continued with the trivia gold that is PopMaster.
And overseeing all of this was the charming, humorous and smooth Bruce.
I’ve had a blast reporting his final show. Good luck Ken.
We've been enjoying the tunes on Ken Bruce's final Radio 2 show - have you? Here’s the playlist so far…
Can You Feel It – The Jackson Five
Trustfall - Pink
Club Tropicana – Wham
Pandora’s Box – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Ghosts Again - Depeche Mode
Beggin’ – Timebox
I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
Giants – Take That
Heaven – Niall Horan
Lovefool – The Cardigans
Spanish Wine – Chris White
Pearls - Jesse Ware
Ships in the Deluxe - Be Bop Deluxe
How Does It Feel – Slade
Too Much Music – Jake Shears
Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
Special – Lizzo
Birdland - Weather Report
Eye in the Sky – The Alan Parsons Project
Cracker Island – Gorillaz ft Thundercat
Pilot of the Airwaves – Charlie Dore
She Speaks in Colours - Thea Gilmore
Bruce has been treated to a reminder of some of the show's past highlights by travel presenter Richie Anderson.
He's instructed to play a clip and it's a message from actor Rob Brydon who once did a whole show posing as Bruce for April Fool's Day.
He sends Bruce his best wishes and says thank you for "letting me be you!".
Steven McIntosh
Entertainment Reporter
When you think of the BBC's Eurovision presenting team, you probably think of people like Graham Norton, Scott Mills, Rylan Clark and Mel Giedroyc.
But as far as Radio 2 listeners are concerned, Ken Bruce is the voice of the annual song contest.
He has commentated on Eurovision for the station since 1988 - witnessing the UK coming first, last and everything in between.
"It’s a glorious mish-mash of nations, musical styles and abilities," he said in an interview about Eurovision last year. , external"Above all, it’s always unpredictable."
Asked how Eurovision compares to the rest of his time on Radio 2, Bruce said: "It’s a moment of brightness, joy and dazzling excess - compared to the daily ritual of waiting by the Wogan House coffee machine!"
He is leaving Radio 2 two months before the UK hosts this year's Eurovision, which will be presented by Norton, Ted Lasso actress Hannah Waddingham, Britain's Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina.
Rob Corp
Live reporter
Things we're looking out for as Bruce's last Radio 2 show heads towards midday:
But the big question is what will be Bruce's parting words before he hands over to Vine at midday? Stay with us as we follow the show through to the end.
Bruce plays a song to mark the passing of jazz musician Wayne Shorter who was 89.
The DJ says he used the song as a theme tune for a quiz he presented in the late 80s and early 90s called Popscore.
It's called Birdland by Weather Report.
Once again, Bruce thanks his listeners for their messages which "are much appreciated".
He adds that Franny from Ramsden Heath says Bruce is her "radio husband".
"When you talk I'm always half-listening, I go out, I come back and you are still talking."
Steven McIntosh
Entertainment Reporter
Bruce assisting fellow Radio 2 presenter Rylan Clark with his 24-hour Karaoke Challenge in 2019
Some Radio 2 listeners are unhappy with the station's current playlist, which is increasingly favouring more recent music from the 1990s and 2000s over the 1970s and 1980s.
But that's due to the station's efforts to attract the next generation of Radio 2 listeners, primarily people in their 30s and 40s who have moved on from Radio 1.
Speaking to BBC News, Bruce said: "Any radio station has its policy, and that's only right and proper, and you follow the station policy."
But on his new show on Greatest Hits Radio (GHR), Bruce said: "I'll be playing the stuff I like. And I'll be trying to introduce the odd track that I like into the playlist for GHR."
Stations such as GHR and Boom Radio have positioned themselves as alternatives to Radio 2 for older listeners - the baby boomer generation - who feel the station no longer caters to them.