Tony Blackburn to join BBC Radio 2

[Sm1ffj]

Broadcasting legend Tony Blackburn is joining BBC Radio 2 to replace Dale Winton as host of Pick Of The Pops, it has been confirmed.

From November 6, Blackburn will start presenting the chart rundown, which airs on Radio 2 every Sunday between 1pm and 3pm.

Pick Of The Pops, which is based on the Top 20 UK singles chart, became popular on Radio 1 in the late 1960s, but the show's last edition in its original form was aired in 1972.

The programme was resurrected on Radio 2 in 1997 hosted by Alan Freeman, before Winton took over in 2000. Winton's final edition of Pick Of The Pops will be broadcast on October 30.

"I'm delighted to be taking up the reins of one of radio's most iconic and famous shows at the UK's most listened to radio station," said Blackburn.

"I'm very much looking forward to indulging in two hours of fantastic, rarely heard music from across the decades each week."

Radio 2 head of programmes Lewis Carnie added: "I'm delighted to welcome Tony Blackburn to Radio 2 on a permanent basis. He is one of this country's legendary broadcasters and brings a wealth of knowledge of popular music spanning the years.

"I'd like to thank Dale for being such a tremendous host of Pick Of The Pops for the last decade, and I look forward to continuing our relationship with him on future Radio 2 projects."

Blackburn, who helped launch Radio 1 in 1967, recently presented the UK's Million Sellers Chart on Radio 2 over the August Bank Holiday weekend. He also presents The Best Of Soul & Motown show on BBC London 94.9FM every Sunday.

[Mic1812]

I liked Dale Winton doing the rundown.

Tony should be just as good though

But im sure the latter programmes by Dale moved from a sunday to a saturday for some reason though i could be wrong

[Tom]

Interesting, he also does a Motown/Soul show on KMFM, commercial station in Kent, on a Saturday night too. He was doing a Sunday show for the station as well but i'm not sure if he's still doing that. He's a busy man!

[Ramz]

Aww, I liked Dale Winton. Shame

[Chris]

It's on Saturdays 1pm to 3pm, as I listen every week.

[Robbie]

Good news! Tony Blackburn is a little bit cheesy sounding at times but is far better than Dale Winton whose voice I found irritating.

I wonder if the programme will be broadcast live or at least pre-recorded rather than voice tracked as it currently is. While there is no need for the programme to be broadcast live I thought the combination of DW's voice and voice tracking made the programme sound a bit flat and dull at times with a lack of any spontaneity.

[Deleted]

Excellent news, as a former Top 40 presenter Tony Blackburn is no stranger to chart shows, and he did a great job
on the special chart shows he recently did on Radio 2. I didn't mind Dale actually, but Tony is a great replacement.
I wonder if they will stick to the same format or change it a bit.

[raliverpool]

This is good news, as it was off putting listening to Dale Winton as you could tell he was just reading out his chart info/countdown for it to be edited into playing the tracks later.

Hopefully, the minimum Tony will record his two hour show rather than what the former host did (certainly towards the end of him presenting the retro chart countdown show).

[ROBERTLEE]

I think he'll do a great job although I never listen to the programme.

[brianhankin]

Tony also does KFM as already said & also KCFM on Fridays at 10am, Smooth Radio weekends at 6am, & also sits in on Graham Dene's show in the London transmitters of Smooth. I wonder if Tony will continue at Smooth, when Simon Bates takes over Breakfast on 3rd Jan 2011? Those 2 just don't hit it off. Simon said in his Autobiography that Tony didn't welcome him at R1. Then Tony accuses him of nicking the Golden Hour. Tony has a point, because he was the one to start the Golden Hour himself. Infact, half an hour of oldies began in 1970 on TB's Breakfast Show.

If he does continue at Smooth, you've got 4 previous hosts of the R1 Top 40 on offer. Thats Tony, Bates, Andy Peebles & Mark Goodier. That Wes Butters chappy does Real Radio in the evening, but that's a different kettle of fish. All ex-Chart Show presenters are still in Radio apart from Don Moss & Tom Browne. The rest (of course) have passed on.

On Tony's inception on POTP: I think the problem of this show is 3 things. Phillip Swern as producer, the format of the show has no pattern, & the production company obviously do it as cheap as possible, i.e. voicetracking of the show, that has been the shape of the things since 1997. So, I don't think it will change much. Tony (as host) could have other probs. He's more a 60s/70s & early 80s fan. He hates punk, rock, & a lot of other stuff. Maybe the voicetracking will be his best bet, as he won't have to listen to the music.

[Deleted]

Sept 25, 2010 22:16:23 GMT 1 brianhankin said:

Tony also does KFM as already said & also KCFM on Fridays at 10am, Smooth Radio weekends at 6am, & also sits in on Graham Dene's show in the London transmitters of Smooth. I wonder if Tony will continue at Smooth, when Simon Bates takes over Breakfast on 3rd Jan 2011? Those 2 just don't hit it off. Simon said in his Autobiography that Tony didn't welcome him at R1. Then Tony accuses him of nicking the Golden Hour. Tony has a point, because he was the one to start the Golden Hour himself. Infact, half an hour of oldies began in 1970 on TB's Breakfast Show.

If he does continue at Smooth, you've got 4 previous hosts of the R1 Top 40 on offer. Thats Tony, Bates, Andy Peebles & Mark Goodier. That Wes Butters chappy does Real Radio in the evening, but that's a different kettle of fish. All ex-Chart Show presenters are still in Radio apart from Don Moss & Tom Browne. The rest (of course) have passed on.

On Tony's inception on POTP: I think the problem of this show is 3 things. Phillip Swern as producer, the format of the show has no pattern, & the production company obviously do it as cheap as possible, i.e. voicetracking of the show, that has been the shape of the things since 1997. So, I don't think it will change much. Tony (as host) could have other probs. He's more a 60s/70s & early 80s fan. He hates punk, rock, & a lot of other stuff. Maybe the voicetracking will be his best bet, as he won't have to listen to the music.

As far i know Tony Blackburn WILL be staying with Smooth in January.
Yes i think all chart shows hosts (that are still with us) are doing radio apart from Bruno Brookes who doesn't currently have a regular show (apart from a few stand-ins on BBC Radio Berkshire).
I'd like to see him get a show again (maybe Smooth will sign), i think Gary Davies would fit in well on Smooth too.

[brianhankin]

Sept 25, 2010 22:41:25 GMT 1 Mark said:

Sept 25, 2010 22:16:23 GMT 1 brianhankin said:

Tony also does KFM as already said & also KCFM on Fridays at 10am, Smooth Radio weekends at 6am, & also sits in on Graham Dene's show in the London transmitters of Smooth. I wonder if Tony will continue at Smooth, when Simon Bates takes over Breakfast on 3rd Jan 2011? Those 2 just don't hit it off. Simon said in his Autobiography that Tony didn't welcome him at R1. Then Tony accuses him of nicking the Golden Hour. Tony has a point, because he was the one to start the Golden Hour himself. Infact, half an hour of oldies began in 1970 on TB's Breakfast Show.

If he does continue at Smooth, you've got 4 previous hosts of the R1 Top 40 on offer. Thats Tony, Bates, Andy Peebles & Mark Goodier. That Wes Butters chappy does Real Radio in the evening, but that's a different kettle of fish. All ex-Chart Show presenters are still in Radio apart from Don Moss & Tom Browne. The rest (of course) have passed on.

On Tony's inception on POTP: I think the problem of this show is 3 things. Phillip Swern as producer, the format of the show has no pattern, & the production company obviously do it as cheap as possible, i.e. voicetracking of the show, that has been the shape of the things since 1997. So, I don't think it will change much. Tony (as host) could have other probs. He's more a 60s/70s & early 80s fan. He hates punk, rock, & a lot of other stuff. Maybe the voicetracking will be his best bet, as he won't have to listen to the music.

As far i know Tony Blackburn WILL be staying with Smooth in January.
Yes i think all chart shows hosts (that are still with us) are doing radio apart from Bruno Brookes who doesn't currently have a regular show (apart from a few stand-ins on BBC Radio Berkshire).
I'd like to see him get a show again (maybe Smooth will sign), i think Gary Davies would fit in well on Smooth too.

It would be a bonus if Smooth got their music policy sorted
out though. At the moment it's a mess! Easy listening meets Soul & Disco it's far out man. Then there's a problem of the same 200 tracks going round & round. A typical half hour is like: The Drifters, Donna Summer, Paloma Faith, Sam Cooke, Michael Buble, Gonzalez, & 10cc.
Incidently talking about ex-R1 jocks, Paul Burnett is moving to BBC Local Radio as a Stand-in. On Sat 16th Oct, he's doing the South East show carried in Kent, Berkshire, Surrey, Sussex, Solent, & Oxford. Which also includes 2 vintage charts at 6pm.

[PLAYER]

This is really good news, I'm not a big Dale Winton fan. It should always have been a former chart host presenting this show. KIt should also be broadcast live if Tony can fit it in.

[satchmo76]

Brian, how can you tell that POTP uses Voicetracking? How many other BBC programmes do so?

Personally, I think that voicetracking goes against the whole ethos of public service radio.

[brianhankin]

Sept 26, 2010 21:05:11 GMT 1 satchmo76 said:

Brian, how can you tell that POTP uses Voicetracking? How many other BBC programmes do so?

Personally, I think that voicetracking goes against the whole ethos of public service radio.

Most Weekend Radio 2 shows do. Sounds Of The 60s, David Jacobs Sunday Collection. It's cheap radio. Most Independant Radio Stations do it throughout the week i.e. Gold Stations. A 2 hour show only takes about 20 minutes to make. Saving studio time/electric etc. I used to do some myself, rather like David Jacobs & Alan Freeman whose state of healths were/are not to good. Which (in my opinion is the only good reason for it)
It's easy to tell,who does it, as the presenter always sounds different it he speaks over a non-existent intro/outro of a record. There is also a tad of boredom surrounding the broadcast too. Dale Winton for instance, sounds like he's reading through his laundry list most of the time. Some presenters are good at it, some aren't. Dale isn't & so it sticks out like a sore thumb.
It's highly unlikely that Tony won't be voicetracked because if he isn't it will cost the BBC more, with the costs of the production company going up. POTP isn't made my the BBC, & in general it could be taken by other networks. Although unlikely.

[satchmo76]

I always suspected that Jimmy Saville's Radio 1 Sunday lunchtime shows were voicetracked, as far back as the late 70's, and certainly not live. I don't think Saville ever had any interest in the music.

[Deleted]

Tony Blackburn leaving Smooth Radio
radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.6316.2

[brianhankin]

Sept 27, 2010 20:10:33 GMT 1 satchmo76 said:

I always suspected that Jimmy Saville's Radio 1 Sunday lunchtime shows were voicetracked, as far back as the late 70's, and certainly not live. I don't think Saville ever had any interest in the music.

Jimmy's shows were not voicetracked, but many were pre-recorded as live. To enthusiase the point, Jimmy had some 12 million listeners every week & it wasn't just about the music. The programme was put together as a "Club feel" until 1982. It had a whole host of people involved with it. The stories of Jimmy, the chatter with the production team, the jokes & fun made it a family affair every Sunday & no other Sunday lunchtime show, has ever had so many listeners. It was destroyed by the bosses at Radio One, from 1985-87 with the same years going round & round. Hence Jimmy quitting 23 years ago this very week.

[brianhankin]

Sept 29, 2010 20:01:23 GMT 1 Mark said:

Tony Blackburn leaving Smooth Radio
radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.6316.2

A big blow for Smooth. Apparently Tony will also be used by the BBC as a fill-in for holiday relief too. Maybe POTP needs to be increased to 3 hours rather than 2, in order to get a better mix of decades in. I think it should also represent the 1950s for one. The charts could be played out by mix 3 charts together from the 50s-90s. I hope they get this show sorted out properly. It has been a mess ever since it appeared on Radio One in 1989. I preferrred it on Capital pre 88.

Anyone listen to Richard & Dave's Retro Countdown on Atlantic Oldies 2NG on the net on Sunday's at 2pm? That has to be a must hear. They are a mind of info, & play a host of forgotten hits from the last 50 years.

[Chris]

I listen to POTP every week, either live or on Listen Again, never miss it, but I think it does need an overhaul. I think the whole Top 20 should be played where possible, obviously Gary Glitter and Judge Dread can't be played. Not bothered myself about those outside the 20. Some weeks they even skip ones that have climbed several places within the 20, in favour of what I can only think are Producer Phil Swern's favourites, even fallers or non-movers.