BBC Radio 2 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced Light Programme.

BBC Radio 2

Zoe Ball

Zoe joins Radio 2's weekend line-up to present the Saturday Early Breakfast show, after recent stints sitting in for Dermot O'Leary and Ken Bruce.

Each week Zoe has puzzles and difficult questions in Ball of Confusion, plus guest contributors Kirsten O'Brien, Hilary Oliver and Ambrose Heron take turns to round up family events and movies in Here Comes The Weekend.

You can also join the Sleepover Club. It's junior choice for the new millennium. If you've got a houseful of kids camping in the lounge for the weekend, or you're going to be up all night partying with your friends, then you can join. Every week Zoe and Emma Forbes will be inviting a group of members to pick a favourite tune and make a special dedication on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Zoe Ball: 19/12/2009

19/12/2009

BBC Radio 2 - Zoe Ball, 19/12/2009

Zoe is joined by Kirsten O'Brien for festive fun for the family in Here Comes The Weekend.

Kirsten O'Brien joins Zoe to hand out audio stockings full of festive fun for all the family in Here Comes The Weekend.

Amazing music. Played by an amazing line up.

Radio 2: Amazing music. Played by an amazing line-up. The home of great music, entertainment and documentaries

Sounds of the 60s

Sounds of the 60s with Tony Blackburn

Tony Blackburn spins the biggest sixties hits and shares fond memories of the decade.

Sounds of the 60s with Tony Blackburn: 19/12/2009

BBC Radio 2 - Sounds of the 60s with Tony Blackburn, 19/12/2009

Brian Matthew replays some Christmas records from pop's golden decade.

Brian Matthew, the voice of sixties popular music, presents a Christmas edition of the programme for all fans of the 1960s.

Brian Matthew presents a pre-Christmas edition of the programme for all fans of the music of the 1960s. With facts, figures and trivia as well as classic hits, rarities, B sides, instrumentals and album tracks, the selection sweeps right across the most important decade for popular music from beginning to end. 

Including this week a sprinkling of 60s Christmas records from an unreleased Bobby Vee track to Spike Milligan's version of Silent Night. The A-Z of The Beatles ploughs on as it works its way through their entire catalogue and reaches The Two Of Us. Other tracks come from Joe South, Tim Rose, The Doors and Johnnys Cash and Nash!

Sounds Of The 60s began in 1983 and Brian has been at helm since 1990, bringing to the programme his distinctive voice and unmatchable experience of 60s pop shows.

Jonathan Ross

Music, guests and lively conversation with Jonathan Ross

Jonathan Ross: 19/12/2009

BBC Radio 2 - Jonathan Ross, 19/12/2009

Jonathan is joined by Jason Manford and Ruthie Henshall. Plus, live music from Will Young.

Jonathan Ross and Andy Davies are joined by comedian Jason Manford, American humourist David Sedaris and West End star Ruthie Henshall. Plus there's live music from Will Young.

Jonathan Ross and Andy Davies are joined by comedian Jason Manford, American humourist David Sedaris and West End star Ruthie Henshall plus there's live music from Will Young.

New music, hip oldies and banter with Andy Davies. Guests include comic Jason Manford. Plus live music by 2002 Pop Idol winner Will Young.

Pick of the Pops

Counting down two popular music charts from this week in decades past.

Pick of the Pops: 19/12/2009

BBC Radio 2 - Pick of the Pops, 19/12/2009

Dale Winton counts down the charts from this week in 1977 and 1985.

Dale Winton counts down the charts from this week in 1977 and 1985, with hits from Bob Marley And The Wailers, Bonnie Tyler, The Bee Gees, Aled Jones and Wham!

Dale Winton counts down the charts from this week in 1977 and 1985, with hits from Bob Marley & The Wailers, Bonnie Tyler, The Bee Gees, Aled Jones and Wham!

Top 40 chart nostalgia. Dale Winton rewinds to 1977 and 1985 with hits by the Bee Gees, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Bonnie Tyler and Aled Jones.

Dermot O'Leary

Dermot O'Leary presents live music sessions from new and emerging bands.

Dermot O'Leary: 19/12/2009

BBC Radio 2 - Dermot O'Leary, 19/12/2009

Dermot O'Leary has live music from Alesha Dixon and carols from his Choir Of Angels.

With live music by singer Alesha Dixon and, with carols, Dermot's Choir of Angels (three indie female stars).

Going Out With Alan Carr

Alan Carr hosts fun and laughs on Saturday night

Alan Carr hosts fun and laughs on Saturday night. Whether you're putting on your lippy for a night out or dialing up a curry, Going Out With Alan Carr will put you in a feel-good mood

Going Out With Alan Carr: 19/12/2009

BBC Radio 2 - Going Out With Alan Carr, 19/12/2009

Patrick Kielty and Gaby Roslin sit in for Alan Carr and Emma Forbes with music and laughs.

Patrick Kielty and Gaby Roslin sit in for Alan Carr and Emma Forbes with music, chat and laughs.

Going Out with Patrick Kielty and Gaby Roslin

Sitting in for the inimitable Alan Carr and Emma Forbes.

Paul Gambaccini with America's Greatest Hits

A selection from the week's American charts, plus classics from the last six decades.

Paul plays his selection from this week's American charts, plus classics from the last six decades.

Paul Gambaccini

Paul Gambaccini with America's Greatest Hits: 19/12/2009

BBC Radio 2 - Paul Gambaccini with America's Greatest Hits, 19/12/2009

Paul Gambaccini presents the top US singles of 2009.

Paul Gambaccini presents the top US singles of 2009, plus the top three songs in the country, rock, adult contemporary and R&B genres.

Paul presents his annual review of the year's greatest hits in the States. As usual, he will play the top singles of 2009 in ascending order and will also feature the best selling albums plus the top three songs in the country, rock, adult contemporary and R&B genres.

With 2009's top US pop, rock, country, easy-listening and neo-R&B hits.

Even Better Than The Real Thing: The Top of The Pops Albums

BBC Radio 2 - Even Better Than The Real Thing: The Top of The Pops Albums

Noddy Holder looks back at the 1970s phenomenon that was the Top of The Pops albums.

Noddy Holder looks back at the 70s phenomenon that was the Top of The Pops albums which, at their peak, enjoyed huge sales and topped the UK charts.

Noddy Holder looks back at the 1970s phenomenon that was the Top Of The Pops albums which, at their peak, enjoyed buoyant sales and topped the UK charts. They were cheap and cheesy with a pouting girl on the sleeves and 12 of the "hottest hits" covered by anonymous studio musicians.

The name was a masterstroke (The BBC had neglected to register "Top Of The Pops" name for the TV show) and their success was such an embarrassment to the industry that the major labels quickly ganged up to get them kicked out of the charts. 

Once the songs were chosen the producers had two weeks to get them in the shops, and the singers would get to the studio to be told they had to record a perfect impression of Johnny Rotten, Marc Bolan or Freddie Mercury. 

The show features the producers, musicians and singers (including Tina Charles) whose job it was cover songs like Bohemian Rhapsody in a couple of hours, as well as Jilly Johnson - one of the pouting models who enticed teenage boys to buy a copy.

Noddy celebrates one of the forgotten musical successes of the 70s and revisits the happy days when you could buy all your favourite tunes in Woolworths for the price of a single - just not quite the real thing!

Even Better than the Real Thing: the Top of the Pops Albums

Noddy Holder enthuses over a brand of cheap and cheesy so-called Top of the Pops hits albums which, from 1975 onwards, sold well to consumers who were either unaware or didn't mind that the LPs had nothing to do with the BBC chart show of the same name and, worse, featured cover versions by singers paid to do a perfect impression of, say, Johnny Rotten or Freddie Mercury. The programme features input by the producers, musicians and singers who were hired by this hits machine, including singer Tina Charles and LP cover model Jilly Johnson, who pouted her way into record buyers' hearts.

Bob Harris Sunday

DJ Bob Harris picks an eclectic mix of new tracks

Bob Harris plays an eclectic mix of new tracks from the worlds of Americana, Alt Country, Indie, World, Nu-Folk and Blues

Bob Harris

Bob Harris Sunday: 19/12/2009

BBC Radio 2 - Bob Harris Sunday, 19/12/2009

The Capitol Years play an acoustic session for Bob.

Shai Halperin's 2001 album Meet Yr Acres got onto a lot of critics' Top Ten lists and was compared to Beck and Dylan. His band The Capitol Years play live on the show.

Some years ago, Shai Halperin self-produced a home made full-length album entitled 'Meet Yr Acres'. It got onto a lot of American critics' Top Ten lists for 2001 and was compared to Bob Dylan, Beck and George Harrison.

Now he has returned with his Philadelphia based quartet 'The Capitol Years' and has spent the last couple of years touring with The Pixies (after being specifically requested to join them on their reunion tour), Daniel Johnston and Brian Jonestown Massacre. 

After releasing the album 'Dance Away The Terror', the band played Glastonbury and had their first single 'Revolutions' selected as the record of the week on Radcliffe and Maconie.

Featuring Philadelphia pop melodramatists the Capitol Years, fronted by Shai Halperin.

Richard Allinson

Richard Allinson in his early-morning weekend residency with music and features

Richard Allinson in his early-morning weekend residency with three hours of music and features

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Sounds of the 60s

Sounds of the 60s with Tony Blackburn

19/12/2009

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