Vernon Kay Announces Colleague's Departure from BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay has publicly bid farewell to one of his colleagues during his popular weekday show. The 51-year-old broadcaster revealed that freelance newsreader Harvey Cook would be leaving the station, though hinted at a potential return in the future.
On-Air Announcement and Emotional Exchange
During Tuesday's broadcast, immediately after Cook delivered the news headlines, Kay addressed his colleague directly on air. "Harvey, don't you go anywhere my friend," Kay began, before explaining the situation to listeners. "We're going to say thank you to Harvey Cook because he's moving on, then coming back, then moving on, then coming back."
Kay expressed genuine appreciation for Cook's contributions, stating: "Thank you for doing the news on this show, it's greatly appreciated. It's always nice to have someone who can actually bring some gravitas to the show."
In response, Cook described his time working with Kay as an "absolute pleasure" and emphasized his connection to the Radio 2 family. "It's more au revoir than goodbye. I'll be back," Cook assured listeners. "It's been an absolute pleasure and to be part of the Radio 2 family, you know what it's like, it's been a great pleasure."
Harvey Cook's Broadcasting Career
Harvey Cook has established himself as a versatile voice in British broadcasting, working as a freelance newsreader for both BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music. Beyond his radio work, Cook has provided voiceovers for numerous television networks including:
- Sky
- Channel 4
- Disney
- History Channel
- ITV One
- Discovery
Cook has shared studios with some of Radio 2's most iconic presenters throughout his career. In 2024, he paid a touching tribute to the late Steve Wright following the presenter's sudden death from a ruptured stomach ulcer. On social media, Cook wrote: "Few understood how radio worked like Steve Wright. A true legend! He was a part of so many people's lives with his companionship and entertainment."
Tribute to Late Radio 2 Network Manager
During the same broadcast, Vernon Kay also delivered heartbreaking news about another member of the Radio 2 family. The presenter announced the unexpected death of 45-year-old network manager Ian Deeley, who passed away peacefully.
Kay began the emotional announcement by acknowledging the broader team behind Radio 2's success: "As you can imagine at Radio 2, it's not just the names in the Radio Times who do all the work. We do very little, we just talk when we put up the fader. It's the massive team behind Radio 2 that make this network so successful."
He described Deeley as "a broadcaster at heart" who loved radio "with every fibre of his being." Despite his relatively young age, Deeley had built an illustrious career spanning nearly every BBC radio station, beginning with news shifts before moving into production work and eventually joining the outside broadcast team.
Ian Deeley's Radio Legacy
During his time with Radio 2's outside broadcast team, which he jokingly referred to as "the Broadside Outcasts," Deeley worked on numerous high-profile events including:
- Major pop festivals
- The BBC Proms
- Various royal events
- The D-Day 80th anniversary celebrations in Normandy
Kay highlighted Deeley's exceptional dedication, noting that he had taken a reconnaissance trip to France in his own time to ensure everything met his high standards for the D-Day broadcast. "Ian was our lead engineer on our D-Day celebrations and he was so dedicated that he went on a reconnaissance trip over to France in his own time, just to make sure everything was up to his incredible high standard," Kay recalled.
Vernon Kay's Television Return
In other news, Vernon Kay will return to television screens tonight (March 25) with Do You Know Your Place? airing at 6:30pm on BBC Two. The program challenges both members of the public and celebrities to demonstrate how well they truly know the places they consider themselves most familiar with, testing geographical knowledge and local awareness in an entertaining format.
