Ken Bruce Slams BBC for Dumbing Down Shows

Ken Bruce has criticised his former employer, the BBC for ruining shows by 'trying to appeal to younger viewers' in an ongoing pattern. 

Ken, 75, famously presented a show on BBC Radio 2 for 31 years but he left in 2023 to join one of the BBC's rival stations, Greatest Hits Radio.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Ken spoke about how listeners of his new radio show tend to be between the ages of 40 and 70. 

He noted that the station isn’t trying to attract a younger demographic in the way that the BBC is. 

'You see it at the BBC all the time,' he said. 'They have a successful show, and they say, ‘Let’s get [younger]…

'I give you the example of A Question of Sport. That was a great show, and now I don’t think it exists anymore, because they tried to renew it to appeal to younger viewers, and they weren’t there. We know who we’re talking to.'

The BBC famously axed A Question of Sport in 2023 after 53 years on air, citing 'inflation and funding challenges.'   

Elsewhere, BBC Radio 1 announced a huge schedule shakeup on Wednesday, axing six DJs and bringing in social media influencers and new talent as replacements.

The radio station announced the news in an Instagram post on Wednesday, confirming that as part of the shakeup, longtime presenters , , , Nat O'Leary, James Cusack and Swarzy will be leaving their shows at the end of August.

The post added: 'We thank them for their passion, creativity and dedication and wish them all the very best for whatever comes next.' 

Rickie, 46, and Melvin, 45, will leave Radio 1 after seven years and five years presenting the mid-morning Live Lounge slot with co-presenter Charlie Hedges.

Melvin joined the station in 2019, switching from the Kiss Breakfast Show with his longtime broadcasting partners Rickie and Charlie to host the Radio 1 late-night slot.

Charlie, 39, will remain at Radio 1, and will now present the Live Lounge show with Jeremiah Asiamah, 28, from 10.30am to 1pm on weekday mornings.

Early Breakfast host Dean McCullough, 34, has also been axed from his show, with award-winning duo Mylo & Rosie taking over, following a 10-year stint at Hits Radio West Yorkshire where they won multiple ARIAs.

Ken said: 'I had a great time [at the BBC], and [was] very, very proud to work for the BBC all those years, but you know, people do retire. It's just that I retired and took up another job. I enjoy being on this station, where I think the scrutiny is slightly less than it is at the BBC.'

He himself earned £395,000 in his final year, becoming one of the corporation's best-paid presenters but said the annual pay-list was 'the most annoying thing.'

He also admitted he doesn't really listen to Radio 2 these days, saying he 'doesn't avoid it' but he just 'doesn't bother switching it on.'

On Tuesday, it emerged that former Radio 2 presenter Scott Mills was the 's highest earner before he was sacked over an historic sex abuse allegation.

The 53-year-old made between £745,000 and £749,999 for the year ending in March, according to the corporation's Annual Report.

Mills was fired by the BBC shortly before it emerged the  had launched an investigation into him in 2016 over serious sexual offences involving a boy aged under 16 between 1997 and 2000.

The police investigation was closed in 2019 after prosecutors decided there was insufficient evidence to bring charges, and he is reportedly considering legal action. 

The Southampton-born presenter's most recent pay packet was a big increase on his wage from the previous year, when he was the BBC's 11th highest earner alongside with a salary of between £355,000 and £359,999.

Mills was paid the huge amount for his work on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast show – which he began presenting in January 2025 after his predecessor stepped down – as well as the Pop: Top 10 podcast he hosted with and other public engagements.

Former England footballer , once the corporation's highest paid star, earned between £325,000 and £329,999 for the year to March 2026, making him the 15th highest earner despite having left the BBC in May last year.

He had a salary of between £1,350,000 and £1,354,999 in the previous annual report.

Lineker's most recent earnings came from his work on Premier League highlights show Match Of The Day, and other football coverage.