Radio 2 announces upcoming highlights along with return of Radio 2 Country pop-up digital radio service

Published: 2 February 2016

Radio 2 is passionate about music, so we're bringing back the pop-up digital radio service, BBC Radio 2 Country, alongside some exciting new music documentaries featuring some of the world's most popular musicians - from Pet Shop Boys, to Alfie Boe.
— Lewis Carnie, Head of Programmes, BBC Radio 2

BBC Radio 2 Country pop-up digital radio service with special live broadcasting from the C2C: Country To Country Festival at The O2 in London
Anneka Rice pays tribute to the broadcaster Ed Stewart
500 WORDS: The (Short) Story So Far - Sheila Hancock tells the story of Radio 2’s writing competition, 500 WORDS, since its inception in 2011 to the present day
Singer-songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan joins forces with the BBC Concert Orchestra for a special Friday Night Is Music Night concert of his greatest hits
Bill Kenwright’s Golden Years – new five-part series
New three-part series with special guest presenter Alfie Boe on three of his opera heroes – Maria Callas, Mario Lanza, and the great Enrico Caruso
Pet Shop Boys, Documentary - a new four-part series on the most successful British music duo of all time, with programme one narrated by Graham Norton

This morning on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, presenter Chris Evans announced the return of the pop-up digital radio service BBC Radio 2 Country, from Thursday 10 to Sunday 13 March (12pm – midnight), which will feature special broadcasts live from the C2C: Country To Country festival at The O2 in London.

Bob Harris launches the four-day celebration of country music with his show Welcome To Radio 2 Country (Thurs 10 March, 12-1pm), previewing the upcoming delights, and looking ahead to the weekend’s C2C: Country To Country festival which features some of the biggest country music names and rising country talent. Acts include the six-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year winner Miranda Lambert, honky tonk legend Dwight Yoakam, crossover country star Thomas Rhett, country duo Maddie and Tae, reigning CMA Male Vocalist Chris Stapleton, and country rock sensation Eric Church.

Highlights in the BBC Radio 2 Country schedule include a celebration of country pop with Sara Cox, and a look at storytelling in country music with Steve Wright. Paul Sexton predicts Nashville’s next big stars and breakout artists of 2016, Paul Gambaccini presents America’s Greatest Country Hits, and CMA-winning singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters presents‘Sad Songs Make Me Happy, with tracks from Emmylou Harris, Trisha Yearwood and Vince Gill.

On Friday 11 March, presenters Bob Harris and Jo Whiley introduce music from the C2C: Country To Country festival at The O2 in London (6-11pm). Some of the world’s hottest country acts take to the main stage, and listeners can hear their performances, plus behind-the-scenes action, live on BBC Radio 2 Country (and simulcast on BBC Radio 2 from 8pm). Alex Lester and Paul Sexton join Bob at the festival on Saturday 12 March (4-11pm), with Baylen Leonard joining him on the final day (13 March, 4-11pm).

For the first time this year, there will be a BBC Radio 2 Country stage, taking place during the day at indigo at The O2 on Saturday 12 March and Sunday 13 March (midday to 4pm). Presented by BBC hosts over the two days, the daily programme will also include CMA Talks, artist signings and live music, including performances by David Nail, Lauren Alaina, Brooke Eden, and Old Dominion, with more to be announced.

Other highlights on the four-day pop-up digital radio service include Jeremy Vine’s Stompin’ Country, plus the Eagles front man, Don Henley, selects his favourite country music including tracks from George Jones, Dolly Parton and Lee Ann Womack. Cerys Matthews presents a special programme exploring the roots of country in old time Appalachian and American folk music, and the reigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year, Little Big Town, introduce their favourite road songs.

Further special country programming comes from Alex Lester, Michael Ball, Ken Bruce, Liza Tarbuck, Patrick Kielty, Ricky Ross, Sally ‘Traffic’ Boazman and Simon Mayo. For more details on ‘BBC Radio 2 Country’ go to bbc.co.uk/radio2, plus follow the build-up on Twitter at @bbcr2country.

Lewis Carnie, Head of Programmes for BBC Radio 2, says: “Radio 2 is passionate about music, so we're bringing back the pop-up digital radio service, BBC Radio 2 Country, alongside some exciting new music documentaries featuring some of the world's most popular musicians - from Pet Shop Boys, to Alfie Boe.”

Also coming up on BBC Radio 2, Anneka Rice pays tribute to the consummate DJ, broadcaster and television presenter Ed Stewart (Weds 10 Feb, 10-11pm), with archive clips from his work on pirate radio, BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2, Junior Choice, Top Of The Pops, and the children’s TV series, Crackerjack.

Contributors to this tribute programme include Dame Barbara Windsor, Johnny Beerling, Jan Hunt, Noel Edmonds (who sent his first demo tape to Ed, with great success), Gloria Hunniford, Bernie Clifton, Zoe Ball, Keith Skues, Johnnie Walker and David Hamilton. More info is available on the programme information page, here.

Ahead of this year’s Radio 2 500 WORDS writing competition, Sheila Hancock tells the story since its inception in 2011 to the present day, in ‘500 WORDS: The (Short) Story So Far’ (Thurs 18 Feb, 10-11pm). Listeners will hear from the competition's creator and Radio 2 presenter, Chris Evans, the volunteer judges who have helped him along the way, and the young people whose lives have been changed by putting pen to paper.

Sheila Hancock says: “Chris Evans’ idea for a short-story-writing competition is fascinating, and I’ve been gripped by what we’ve learnt about young writers in the UK. I look forward to telling the tale of its success!”

Chris Evans recently launched the return of the children’s literature initiative, which encourages children around the country aged between five and 13 to get creative and send in their amazing stories. He revealed that this year, The Duchess of Cornwall – who is a passionate advocate for children’s literacy – will be an Honorary Judge for the competition. To coincide with the BBC’s celebration of Shakespeare this year, the final will take place in a spectacular live broadcast from Shakespeare’s Globe in London. More info here.

For Friday Night Is Music Night on 19 February (8-10pm), singer-songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan joins forces with the BBC Concert Orchestra, conducted by Laurie Holloway, for a special concert of his greatest hits. Presented by Ken Bruce, this programme will be recorded at the Mermaid Theatre in London.

His first top ten hit came in late 1970 with Nothing Rhymed, and for the next five years Gilbert dominated the British and European charts with a string of hits including We Will; No Matter How I Try; Ooh Wakka Doo Wakka Day; Clair; Get Down; Why, Oh Why, Oh Why; What's In A Kiss; and Alone Again (Naturally), which topped the charts in the US and was nominated for a Grammy Award.

Bill Kenwright returns with a new five-part series of his Golden Years from Tuesday 1 March (10-11pm), playing some of his favourite hits from both sides of The Atlantic - some familiar and some surprises. Bill will transport listeners via stories and anecdotes to his favourite musical decade of the mid-Fifties and Sixties.

Britain’s favourite tenor, Alfie Boe, shares his opera heroes in this new series from Monday 14 March (10-11pm). Across three programmes, he looks at the lives, loves, divas, disasters, triumphs and tantrums of three of his opera heroes – Maria Callas, Mario Lanza and the great Enrico Caruso.

Alfred Giovanni Roncalli Boe, known to most as Alfie Boe, was born in 1973 and brought up in the fishing port of Fleetwood. The youngest in a family of nine children, Alfie had a happy Seventies childhood full of Space Invaders, Action Men and Space Hoppers. As a young lad, he rode his chopper bike along the promenade listening to music on his Walkman. It’s a long way from the opera houses, West End and Broadway productions he graces these days – but the family home was an important factor in his musical tastes, and an important influence on his choice of career. Everyone has a seminal moment in their life, and for Alfie it was when his father played him a recording by the operatic soprano Maria Callas. Alfie says: “I had never heard anything like it before – such a powerful and emotional performance.”

And, starting Wednesday 23 March, (10-11pm) is a new four-part documentary on Pet Shop Boys. With sales exceeding 50-million records and a catalogue of music that spans 12 top 10 studio albums, 40 top 20 singles, and four UK number one records, Pet Shop Boys are the most successful British music duo of all time. Programme one is narrated by Graham Norton.

Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of their debut album, Please, and the release of their latest, Super, this new series features a specially recorded in-depth interview with Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, plus contributions with key collaborators, commentators and admirers.

In the first programme, Neil and Chris discuss their first 10 years of hits and studio albums. It is everything from their origins, ambitions, and influences, to their early achievements and their first six studio albums released on the iconic British record label Parlophone. The programme considers the duo’s late-Eighties spell of commercial infallibility - their 'imperial phase' – and includes the albums Please, Actually, Introspective, Behaviour, Very and Bilingual.

Pet Shop Boys, Documentary continues the following evening focusing on the studio albums Nightlife, Release, Fundamental, Yes, and Elysium.