Ken Bruce has criticised the BBC for changing shows beyond recognition in its pursuit of younger audiences. The radio presenter, who was a fixture on BBC’s airwaves for more than 40 years until 2023, said the broadcaster ruins successful shows by trying to appeal to younger viewers who “aren’t there”.
Bruce's Move to Greatest Hits Radio
Bruce, 75, left BBC Radio 2 for Greatest Hits Radio (GHR), where he said the audience is more mature, with listeners ranging from 40 to 70 in age. Catering to this audience has paid off, as more than three million people tune into Bruce’s show every day, making it the most listened-to programme on commercial radio.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Bruce said: “You see it at the BBC all the time. They have a successful show, and they say, ‘Let’s get [younger]…’”
The Downfall of A Question of Sport
Bruce pointed to A Question of Sport, which was the world’s longest-running TV sports quiz until it ended its 53-year run in 2023 following the BBC’s decision to “refresh” the show by introducing a new host and restructuring the quiz. The changes proved disastrous for the show, which saw audience numbers plummet from between four to five million under long-time host Sue Barker to below one million after she was replaced by Paddy McGuinness. At the time, the broadcaster said the decision was due to “inflation and funding challenges”.
Bruce said: “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.”
Knowing the Audience
“So, yeah, I think what we do is we know who we’re talking to, we know what they want to hear, and we deliver that,” he added of GHR. GHR’s audience is aged between 40 to 70, according to Bruce.
Bruce's Departure from the BBC
The presenter’s own departure from the BBC left a sour taste. While he initially said he left because it was “time for a change”, Bruce later told Gyles Brandreth on the latter’s podcast that he was starting to dislike some of the music he was being asked to play on his show. “There was a point of saying that I can’t enthuse over all the new music I’m having to play as much as I could over the old music,” he said. “And I didn’t want to get to the stage where I was badmouthing some of the music [or] pretending to like it. I certainly did think I’ve got a bit more to offer.”
Bruce also added that he felt like “the old bloke in the corner” as everyone working in the studio was getting younger. He recalled: "I was the youngster on the station and then almost overnight I became the veteran, and I didn’t want to become the old grump in the corner saying “things aren’t what they used to be”, or [to] any new idea say, “No, we tried that, didn’t work”, which does happen. I just felt I would get more bitter and entrenched."
Reflections on BBC Career
In his latest interview, Bruce said he “had a great time there, and [was] very, very proud to work for the BBC all those years”. But he added: “You know, people do retire. It’s just that I retired and took up another job.” Bruce started as a presenter on BBC Radio Scotland in 1977 and went on to become one of the corporation’s highest paid stars – earning £395,000 during his final year there. He also called the BBC’s annual high-pay list “the most annoying thing” and added that he did not miss the attention BBC presenters drew. “I enjoy being on this station, where I think the scrutiny is slightly less than it is at the BBC,” Bruce said.
