R2OK!

Ian Robinson · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:24 pm Post subject: Humph!

Another departure - Humphrey Lyttleton has just announced he's stepping down from his Jazz Show.

He stressed it was his decision, and that after 40 years he'd like to spend more time doing other things like playing with his band (and suggested he'll be back in some brief form later in the year).

But there do seem to be an awful lot of presenters leaving lately. Who's next?

MIKERAPHONE · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:27 pm Post subject:

Ian..a large box of stationery was delivered to a L.Douglas at Radio 2 last week i believe.
A sticker on the front said
25X Sorry You're leaving Cards.

25...........Gulp!!!!!! Embarassed

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John W · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK

Humph has been a great presenter, I've listened to him for about 30 years!

I'm just worried what future do Monday nights have?

John W

MIKERAPHONE · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:47 pm Post subject:

John..there are changes in April on BBC 6 so who knows what the mighty LD has in store for Radio 2 Rolling Eyes

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Lord Evan Elpuss · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 3417 Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land

I'm not much of a jazz fan so I don't listen to this show but I certainly understand jazz music fans being unhappy at his departure from Radio 2. Having said that I hope Sir Humphrey will continue with a programme I do enjoy very much, Radio 4's I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue which I find a very funny programme. Yes, I think there's cause to be very afraid of the future judging by some of the 'Douglas Disasters' that have occured thus far.
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Mark Mayhew · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 2897

Next departure will be Wogan. I wish it was Steve Wright though-his show is just so tired and predictable.

Toggy tea slurper · Guest

Phill Jupitus is leaving the 6 music breakfast show so that's one of the 25 leaving cards sorted Laughing

John W · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK

Humphrey Lyttleton indicated, I think, at the end of tonight's programme that he has three more to do.

John W

Lady Boil De Spudswell · Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 429 Location: Location, Location

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

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gfloyd · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 9:34 pm Post subject:

I'm not much of a traditional jazz fan but who will fill Humph's boots? Clare Teal or Helen Mayhew maybe?
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Ian Robinson · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 10:05 pm Post subject:

gfloyd · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 10:08 pm Post subject:

Well I'm sure Desmond will not be retiring. He probably has an underground bunker in Perthshire ready for the day Dame Lesley asks him to hand back his Radio 2 mike.
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His name was ernie ........ and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west.....

Lady Boil De Spudswell · Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 429 Location: Location, Location

Toggy tea slurper · Guest

Don't forget Boggy retired as well, it does seem like they are having a big clearout of longer serving presenters. Sad

Lady Boil De Spudswell · Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 429 Location: Location, Location

Toggy tea slurper · Guest

Yep, Fran & Deadly are just on news duties now, I suppose this will at least make Terry's decision easier as and when he takes it.

Lady Boil De Spudswell · Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 429 Location: Location, Location

Cherskiy · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:46 am Post subject:

As someone who would occasionally listen to Humph's Jazz show (i.e. one week a month or so), I'm sorry to see him 'retire' but I can understand why he's doing so.

As others have pointed out, it's inevitable that the old guard will have to go sooner or later, but for most of us it seems a great pity that it seems to be happening all at once, and in some cases, the manner of their departure leaves a bitter taste in one's mouth.

Hopefully their replacements will not all be vacuous 'celebrities' who in the end, all sound more or less alike (or who all engender the same amount of dislike by discerning listeners).
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gfloyd · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:23 am Post subject:

It must be a short retirement if he is back with a 13 week series in the summer.
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Press Releases
Humphrey Lyttelton and The Best Of Jazz take a rest

Humphrey Lyttelton last night announced that BBC Radio 2's The Best Of Jazz is to take a rest and return in the Summer of 2007.

Humphrey has presented The Best Of Jazz continuously for Radio 2 since October 1967.

The last show before the break will be on Monday 2 April at 8.00pm.

The Best Of Jazz will then be broadcast as a 13-week series twice a year.

Humph will continue to chair BBC Radio 4's I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue.

Humph says: "On April 2nd I shall be ending the unbroken run of The Best Of Jazz. I say at once that this is solely my own decision.

"I've presented The Best Of Jazz for almost 40 years continuously, at a rate of around 50 a year, choosing and scripting some 20,000 items and I now want to have a bit more time for other things, my own still active and flourishing band, high among them.

"So if this announcement has summoned the word 'retirement' to your minds, dismiss it at once.

"I shall be back in July with a three month series of similar programmes, but this time it will be as a short distance, rather than a marathon, runner."

Humphrey was born on 23 May 1921.
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His name was ernie ........ and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west.....

gfloyd · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:25 am Post subject:

Toggy tea slurper · Guest

Lets hope Humph has got a chair to sit in when he gets back and that this is not one of those football manager vote of confidence type things.

Ian Robinson · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:53 am Post subject:

That press release uses the quotes from last night's show. I wonder if they've put it out to stifle speculation like in this thread?

I'm sure that Humph really does want to take it easy, and who can blame him? The implication last night is that the new series will be fully pre-recorded at his leisure, rather than sitting there for an hour or so every week.

It's just the timing that I find curious - but I bet they'll announce the ISIHAC tour tomorrow and we'll know why he's left now! Laughing

gfloyd · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 10:46 am Post subject:

AndyAndy2 · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 1:22 pm Post subject:

mcl · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 3:30 pm Post subject:

gfloyd · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:27 pm Post subject:

Cherskiy · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:57 pm Post subject:

AndyAndy2 · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2007 7:46 am Post subject:

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

Humphrey Lyttelton's The Best of Jazz is to become the latest long-running Radio 2 programme to come off air.
Lyttelton has presented the Radio 2 jazz programme nearly every week since 1967. It will come to an end next month, before returning for a three-month run of what Lyttelton described as a "similar programme" in July.

Radio 2 axed Your Hundred Best Tunes after 48 years in January as part of a revamp of the Sunday schedule to make way for a programme presented by TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh.

The station, run by Lesley Douglas, dropped the annual national big band competition last year after 31 years in the schedule.

Between them, the three shows have racked up 119 years of broadcasting history.

Lyttelton, who will continue to present Radio 4 stalwart I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, said the decision to end the unbroken run of The Best of Jazz was entirely his decision.

"I've presented The Best Of Jazz for almost 40 years continuously, at a rate of around 50 a year, choosing and scripting some 20,000 items and I now want to have a bit more time for other things, my own still active and flourishing band, high among them," he said.

"So if this announcement has summoned the word 'retirement' to your minds, dismiss it at once. "I shall be back in July with a three-month series of similar programmes, but this time it

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