Michael Ball takes over Terry Wogan's weekend Radio 2 slot
The musical singer and performer will fill the 'Weekend Wogan' slot, while Pick of the Pops will continue to be presented by Mark Goodier following Tony Blackburn's sacking
Michael Ball is set to take over from the late Sir Terry Wogan on Radio 2, filling the slot vacated by 'Weekend Wogan'.
The musical theatre performer, who has already been broadcasting on Radio 2 on Sunday evenings, will move to the Sunday morning slot from 11am to 1pm. It will now be called The Michael Ball Show.
Ball said he was proud to be taking over the new Sunday morning slot, saying, "I feel so honoured to have been asked to return to Sunday mornings on BBC Radio 2. I learned so much from my great friend and mentor Sir Terry Wogan. He was simply the best."
Head of Programmes for Radio 2, Lewis Carnie, said it was a difficult task to find somebody to replace Wogan, who passed away in January.
"Terry was such a huge part of our audience’s lives for so long that finding another presenter to fill that particular slot was always going to be difficult," he said. "Michael is already familiar to our audience and I’m delighted that he will take over the Sunday morning slot."
The news comes as part of a number of schedule changes for Radio 2. Claudia Winkleman's Radio 2 Arts Show will move from Friday to Sunday nights to replace Ball's previous show, while Craig Charles will present a new funk and soul show on Saturday nights.
Pick of the Pops, which was presented by Tony Blackburn before he was sacked in February, will continue to be fronted by guest presenter Mark Goodier "for the foreseeable future" according to a BBC spokesperson.
