The commercial network, which also counts ex-Radio 2 veteran Simon Mayo as a presenter, has seen impressive growth of 76.9 per cent year on year, the biggest across all stations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Ken Bruce (pictured) admitted feeling like he had been ‘taken for granted’ when he left his longrunning Radio 2 show earlier this year<\/p>\n
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Vernon\u00a0Kay’s mid-morning show pulled in 6.9m listeners, according to data released today by Rajar. He’s seen at the Art of Wishes Gala in London earlier this month\u00a0<\/p>\n
It now\u00a0now has 6.5m weekly listeners across all its shows, compared to 3.7m last year. Radio 2 is registering 13.5m weekly listeners, which is one million down on the same period last year.<\/span><\/p>\n Bruce said: ‘I’m delighted to hear that Greatest Hits Radio has welcomed more and more listeners.\u00a0<\/p>\n ‘Much like myself, it’s great to know more people are enjoying the very best music from the 70s, 80s and 90s as well as my fellow broadcasters such as Simon Mayo and Jackie Brambles.’<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Radio 2 has struggled to entice back the million listeners lost following Bruce’s departure.\u00a0<\/p>\n The most noticeable drop is Zoe Ball’s Breakfast show.<\/p>\n In the last three months, the BBC station had 13.5m weekly listeners, the same as last quarter, according to Rajar \u2013 an audience measurement system for the radio industry.\u00a0<\/p>\n But that is a million fewer than the same period last year.<\/p>\n Ball’s Breakfast Show has shed 200,000, down to 6.5m compared to 6.7m three months previously.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the same period last year, it was listened to by 7.3m, meaning she has lost 850,000 year on year. It is still the UK’s most listened-to breakfast show.<\/p>\n Charlotte Moore, BBC Chief Content Officer, says: ‘Radio 2 continues to be the country’s most popular station and I’m delighted with the flying start Vernon Kay has made to mid-mornings as the UK’s biggest radio show, bringing his warmth, energy and charisma to listeners up and down the country.’\u00a0<\/p>\n A BBC spokesperson said: ‘We’re delighted Radio 2 remains the UK’s most listened to radio station with 13.5 million listeners – almost one in four people – tuning in each week and that Vernon Kay has the most listened to radio programme in the UK with 6.9 million listeners.’\u00a0<\/p>\n It comes as Sara Cox waded into the\u00a0BBC Radio 2 ageism row by insisting there are still ‘legends’ on the station.\u00a0<\/p>\n The 50-year-old is at the top of her career with her Radio 2 daily evening show as well as hosting Radio 2 in the park, the station’s flagship live event.<\/p>\n But her station has has come under fire recently after presenter Ken Bruce, 72, left his morning slot earlier this year.<\/p>\n Speaking about the controversy over the departure of big stars like Bruce, 72, she told\u00a0Woman & Home:\u00a0<\/span>‘The last few years, my career has got even better, it’s ripened.\u00a0<\/p>\n Greatest Hits Radio, which also counts ex-Radio 2 veteran Simon Mayo (pictured) as a presenter, has seen growth of 76.9 per cent year on year, the biggest across all stations<\/p>\n Radio 2 fans have accused the BBC of ageism as a string of older DJs step back, including Paul O’Grady, Steve Wright, Ken Bruce and Simon Mayo, replaced by ex-Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills, RuPaul’s Michelle Visage, Rylan and DJ Spoony<\/p>\n ‘I’m very fortunate in the way it’s panned out. .. [In radio] people move on and get replaced.\u00a0<\/p>\n ‘When change happens, it feels really big in the moment and within days, you’re like, ‘It’s fine. It’s still Radio 2′.’<\/p>\n Bruce’s departure caused a stir after he was asked to leave his BBC Radio 2 role a month early because the corporation reportedly became ‘frustrated’ that his shows were ‘free advertising’ for his next station.<\/p>\n The Scottish broadcaster revealed in a tweet that he had intended to fulfil the remainder of his contract to the end of March, but said the BBC wanted him to leave earlier after 31 years hosting his show.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Radio 2 has struggled to entice back the million listeners lost following Bruce’s departure. The most noticeable drop is Zoe Ball’s (pictured) Breakfast show<\/p>\n It comes as Sara Cox waded into the BBC Radio 2 ageism row by insisting there are still ‘legends’ on the station\u00a0<\/p>\n Cox admitted it was ‘a bit of a shocker’ when Bruce left.<\/p>\n Speaking of Kay’s appointment, she admitted: ‘Ken going was a bit of a shocker, then Vernon started and within three links he sounded at home.<\/p>\n ‘Also, don’t forget, Vernon’s a good-looking lad, but he’s not 21, arriving with his cap on backwards, on a skateboard, he’s knocking 50 and he’s greying beautifully.’<\/p>\n Defending the row she added: ‘He’s older than Ken was when he started, it may feel like [Radio 2] is getting in all these young ‘uns, but we’ve still got all the legends on there.’\u00a0<\/p>\nREAD MORE:\u00a0 EXCLUSIVE: Ken Bruce reveals he could barely speak between songs after his second divorce and used radio as his ‘therapy’<\/h3>\n
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