Vernon Kay ‘over the moon’ to replace Ken Bruce on Radio 2

Vernon Kay will replace presenter Ken Bruce on his weekday mid-morning slot on Radio 2, the BBC has confirmed.

Bruce announced on air in January that he would be leaving the station after 31 years in the role.

“Vernon is a lovely bloke and I wish him all the best,” Bruce said, adding that he “wouldn’t dare give anyone else tips about broadcasting”.

Kay, who is known for presenting ITV’s All Star Family Fortunes, said taking over the show was “a dream come true”.

“And what an honour to follow in the footsteps of the mighty Ken Bruce,” he added in a statement on Friday. “I’m absolutely over the moon to be handed the microphone.”

The 48-year-old has previously had his own shows on Radio 1 and Radio X, and currently presents Radio 2’s Dance Sounds of the 90s – with his “Back to Bolton Cheesy Bangers”.

Kay, who is married to Strictly Come Dancing presenter Tess Daly, will start his new show in May.

DJ Gary Davies will fill the gap between Bruce’s departure on 3 March, and Kay’s first show.

The mid-morning show, famous for its daily Popmaster quiz, is Britain’s most listened to radio programme and currently has more than 8.5 million weekly listeners, according to data from industry body Rajar.

Bruce will take the Popmaster format with him when he moves to the rival commercial station, Greatest Hits Radio.

His departure comes shortly after Steve Wright left Radio 2, ending a 23-year stint as the station’s afternoon host. Wright stressed he was not retiring, and would keep his Sunday morning show.

Other popular presenters who have also left the station in the past year include Paul O’Grady and Vanessa Feltz.

Wright was replaced by Scott Mills, while O’Grady’s slot is now hosted by Rob Beckett.

Weather presenter Owain Wyn Evans took over from Feltz to host the early breakfast show from Cardiff.

The Bolton-born presenter began his career as a model, which led to him presenting links on Channel 4’s teen-targeted T4 strand.

Moving into radio, he hosted his own BBC Radio 1 show between 2004 and 2012, and went on to host the mid-morning show on Radio X between 2015 and 2017.

The TV and radio personality also helmed the ITV game show All Star Family Fortunes – a celebrity version of the long-running quiz show – from 2006 to 2015, as well as two series of Beat the Star from 2008 until 2009.

In 2010, he co-presented another ITV game show, The Whole 19 Yards, alongside Caroline Flack. The same year, over in the US, the Brit fronted the six-part series Skating with the Stars.

A fan of American Football since his youth, Kay, who has also played the sport, presented The American Football Show on Channel 4 in 2013. And since the start of the 2018-19 season, he has presented live Formula E coverage, too.

Alongside Gabby Logan, he fronted the celebrity diving show Splash! from 2013-2014, which saw Team GB Olympic gold medal-winning diver Tom Daley offer his services as a mentor to pool-bound stars.

An occasional stand-in presenter on the One Show and This Morning, Kay also finished in third place on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2020, behind fellow broadcaster Jordan North and eventual winner Giovanna Fletcher.

Over the years, he has also featured on shows such as Shooting Stars, Bo’ Selecta! and Would I Lie To You?, as well as the Masked Singer. His film cameos include in Shaun of the Dead.

Speaking to BBC News in 2021, around the launch of his new ITV series Game of Talents, Kay said he felt “shackled” using an autocue and that it was more his style to prepare before shows and then “have a laugh in the studio”.

Bruce has been one of Radio 2’s longest-serving hosts, joining the BBC in 1977 and taking his first regular Radio 2 slot in 1984.

The 72-year-old Scotsman, who has also presented the station’s Eurovision coverage since 1988, is due to broadcast his final show next month.

“I have decided the time is right for me to move on from Radio 2,” he said last month, adding he’d had “a tremendously happy time” but it was “time for a change”.

His replacement, Kay, will be familiar voice to Radio 2 listeners, having previously filled in for the likes of Zoe Ball, Steve Wright, Rylan Clark and Dermot O’Leary.

Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2 said the station was “thrilled to welcome” Kay on board permanently, describing him as “a hugely talented, warm and witty host”, and one who has “already proved himself to be a firm favourite with our listeners when he’s presented many and varied shows across the station”.

Other upcoming plans announced by the station on Friday include a Van Morrison Blues Show special, presented by Cerys Matthews; Tony Blackburn spinning soul specials at Easter; and the Jazz Show with Jamie Cullum celebrating the music of Nina Simone.

Elsewhere listeners will be treated to a Country Music Season, to mark the station’s official link to the Country 2 Country Music Festival, while Jo Whiley will celebrate the 12″ single in a new documentary,