Broadcasting legend Bob Harris has announced he is leaving BBC Radio 2, weeks after revealing his prostate cancer has spread to his spine.

The DJ, who has been on the airwaves since 1970, told listeners he was "so sorry that my health issues are forcing me to step down, but I realised that I must concentrate now on getting myself well again".

Sarah Carson writes, “Radio 2 has been a quieter place for the past few months without it. Since April, Harris’s shows – Sounds of the 70s and Bob Harris Country – have been covered by stand-ins and special guests, so it was not a huge surprise to hear the news today that he is retiring from the BBC after 56 years due to ill health. But it is still incredibly sad.”

NOT many kids can boast that their grandad inter­viewed John Len­non and hung out with David Bowie, Elton John and Marc Bolan, as well as being best mates with Robert Plant.

But, as he approaches his 80th birth­day on Sat­urday, “Whis­per­ing” Bob Har­ris’s six grand­chil­dren can.

“I feel proud and thrilled to have been voted Presenter of the Year in the 2025 BCMA poll, following our win for The Country Show in the Americana UK poll a couple of weeks ago.”

Americana UK have lost count of how often Bob Harris has won Best Radio Show - be it his past Saturday programme or his current essential Thursday country show, one of the few mainstream slots that regularly plays Americana.

Bob Harris - along with collaborators Jack & Alex Bremer - have launched a weekly video podcast direct from his studio “Under The Apple Tree”.

Bob & Suzi will be featuring in “Celebrity Antiques Road Trip” to be broadcast on 26th march 2025.

Bob interviewed Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood, Roger Daltry of The Who, Yungblud and Julian Lloyd Webber at the launch event for the hardback edition of “Buddy Holly: Words Of Love” – a book that celebrates the life of the late rock and roll musician and songwriter, Buddy Holly.

Whispering Bob once again co-hosted this year’s O2 event - this time with Texan country music artist, Mickey Guyton.

Here, Bob Harris shares his highlights of this year’s line-up and discusses the ongoing rise of country music in the UK…

“Forget the pale, male & stale image of old - the future of country music is bright and female.”

The Girls in Low Places podcast have manifested too hard and now they have Bob Harris in the studio.... the KING OF COUNTRY MUSIC!

The presenter who announced Walker’s death on BBC Radio 2 last week says his warmth and adventurous spirit set the bar for broadcasting.

Bob joins Katie Thistleton, Jenny Powell, OJ Borg & Rickie Haywood-Williams for a festive special edition of the iconic music quiz show.

Bob is "proud and honoured" to take over “Sounds Of The 70s” from his great friend Johnnie Walker as of 3rd November 2024.

“Our mission - to talk about Dissection awareness and patient care. Interviews and discussions - it really has been an incredible experience.”

“This is such good fun and so special - spending this amazing time with the @bbcradio2 family. Swipe to see some of the pics from a really wonderful day”

‘Whispering’ Bob Harris on the records, artists and gigs that are of lasting significance to him.

The Beatles’ music is universal ,” according to broadcaster Bob Harris, whose many irons in the fire of classic rock include the live show The Songs The Beatles Gave Away, with author Colin Hall.

Having grown up enthralled by the glow of the radiogram in the corner of his childhood home, ‘Whispering Bob’ Harris has now repaid the favour of introducing new music to multiple generations of listeners to his BBC radio shows.