Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Update – 30 March 2009: this press release has been updated to reflect changed names for Alan Carr's and Paul O'Grady's programmes.

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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 2 today announces a new weekend schedule which sees Paul O'Grady, Alan Carr and Emma Forbes join the network's line-up of regular presenters.

Taking in music from a range of decades and genres, the schedule introduces a new show from Paul O'Grady every Sunday at 5.00pm, and Alan Carr with Emma Forbes will take to the airwaves every Saturday at 6.00pm.

Johnnie Walker, currently presenting the series Pirate Johnnie Walker on Saturday nights, launches a new format for Sunday afternoons.

Paul is familiar to the Radio 2 audience as he regularly sits in for Elaine Paige on Sunday afternoons, which he is currently doing until 15Β March, and also presented his own Radio 2 show on Christmas Day 2008.

Alan's unique style of humour has proved to be immensely popular with the Radio 2 audience since making his radio presenting debut in Christmas 2007. He's since presented the six-part series Alan Carr's Comedy Outings, co-presented a Christmas Eve Special with Ruth Jones in 2008 and presented stints on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ 6 Music.

Emma is a familiar voice to listeners from her time sitting in on Steve Wright In The Afternoon with Mark Radcliffe.

Johnnie Walker is a stalwart of the UK radio industry, with an illustrious career spanning 40 years. Johnnie was awarded an MBE in 2006 for services to broadcasting and was recently a consultant on the Richard Curtis film The Boat That Rocked, a comedy about the last days of pirate radio in 1967.

Bob Shennan, Controller, Radio 2, says: "Radio 2 is committed to offering the very best entertainment and in Paul and Alan we are bringing two of the UK's best loved presenters to our listeners."

The schedule from Saturday 4 April 2009 is as follows:

Saturdays

1.00-3.00pm Pick Of The Pops presented by Dale Winton
Dale moves to Saturdays as he counts down classic tracks from the charts of of the Sixties, Seventies, Eighties and Nineties.

3.00-6.00pm Dermot O'Leary
Dermot's show moves back one hour to 3.00pm and continues to feature live sessions from up-and-coming and established artists, celebrity interviews and music.

6.00-8.00pm Going Out With Alan Carr (from 25 April)
Comedian Alan Carr eases listeners into Saturday nights with a new highly interactive show featuring music and lively conversation. Alan is joined each week by Emma Forbes and together they invite listeners to call in to discuss their Saturday night plans.
Alan says: "I can't tell you how excited I am about my new radio show. Emma and I will be getting listeners in the mood for Saturday nights, whether they're going out and about or having a quiet night in with a ready meal and a cheap bottle of plonk. You've had the hairy cornflake - now you've got the fairy cornflake!!"
NB: Pirate Johnnie Walker will be broadcast between 6.00 and 8.00pm on 4, 11 and 18 April.

8.00-10.00pm Paul Gambaccini with America's Greatest Hits
Paul moves to the heart of Saturday night, playing America's greatest hits from the US charts of the week and the past five decades.

10.00-11.00pm Documentary slot
The Saturday night music documentary slot moves to the later time.

Sunday

1.00-3.00pm Elaine Paige On Sunday
Sundays see Elaine Paige on Sunday extended by 30 minutes. This highly popular show features non-stop show tunes, movie soundtracks and interviews with the biggest names in theatreland. The newly extended show kicks off on 5 April with an Abba special which sees Elaine reunited with Benny and Bjorn.

3.00-5.00pm Johnnie Walker's Sounds Of The 70s
The legendary Johnnie Walker plays classic tracks from the Seventies.
Johnnie says: "It's going to be a complete joy to revisit the decade when so much great music was made on both sides of the Atlantic. In those days I was doing a lunchtime show for Radio 1 and it was a struggle to fit album tracks into their Top 40 format. Now I'm being encouraged to play all those great artists like The Who, The Stones, Pink Floyd, Queen and Led Zeppelin and, from America, The Eagles, Steely Dan, Lou Reed and Jackson Browne. We're even bringing back the original quiz Pop The Question. When I was growing up Sunday afternoons was compulsory listening so I'm delighted to be actually presenting a show in that slot."

5.00-7.00pm Paul O'Grady
Paul O'Grady presents a new show for Sunday teatime bursting with character and using unique features designed to interact with his listeners around the UK. Celebrating what's great about Britain and its people, the show's features include Thank You, where Paul invites listeners to tell him about the people who have done something to make their lives better, and a monthly competition, Tea For Two On 2, where a listener can win tea with Paul and the team.
Paul says: "I am delighted to be joining Radio 2 having been a regular listener to the network for as long as I can remember. I've enjoyed doing my special shows for Radio 2 and I can't wait to get started. It's about time after years of being everyone's stand-in – they've finally come to their senses and given me my own show!!!!!"

7.00-8.30pm Alan Titchmarsh with Melodies For You
Alan moves to a slightly later time, presenting popular and classical music from Wagner to Mantovani; The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to Gilbert and Sullivan.

The Sunday schedule remains the same from 7.00am to 1.00pm with Good Morning Sunday (7.00-9.00am), Steve Wright's Sunday Love Songs (9.00- 11.00am), Michael Ball's Sunday Brunch (11.00am-1.00pm); and from 8.30pm until midnight with Sunday Half Hour (8.30-9.00pm), Russell Davies (9.00-10.00pm), Malcolm Laycock (10.00-11.00pm), The David Jacobs Collection (11.00pm-midnight).

Radio 2 Publicity