Paul O'Grady on the Wireless

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Paul O'Grady on the Wireless is a current incarnation of the Sunday teatime slot on BBC Radio 2, hosted by Paul O'Grady.^[1] The show is produced by Malcolm Prince and regularly attracts over two million listeners. The show is broadcast on a Sunday evening between 5 pm and 7 pm on BBC Radio 2 in the United Kingdom and began on 5 April 2009. From its inception until 13 February 2022, the show was broadcast every Sunday. On 2 February 2022, it was announced that O'Grady would present the show in two 13 week runs every year, with a new programme hosted by Rob Beckett airing in its slot at other times.^[2] The show will return for a new series on 22 May 2022.

The show marked Paul's permanent welcome to the airwaves following numerous stints standing in on other shows including Elaine Paige on Sunday.

The programme celebrated its 200th show on 24 February 2013, its 300th show on 17 May 2015, its 400th show on 11 February 2018, and its 500th show on 28 March 2021. It celebrated its 10th birthday on 7 April 2019.

The programme was off-air from March to June 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It then aired a series of compilation shows, before returning for new pre-recorded shows on 9 August 2020, with O'Grady presenting from his home, On 11 April 2021 his show was cancelled for the first time due to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh's death.

Features on the show include:

• Cocktail Hour – An easy listening song complete with cocktail recommendation.
• Dead Pets – Eulogies for listeners' recently deceased pets, read by Paul to the backing of 'Just a Closer Walk with Thee' from Live and Let Die.
• Lost TV theme – Paul plays an old TV theme in full.

Background[]

O'Grady confirmed in 2008 that he would be getting his own show on BBC Radio 2 and no longer covering for presenters on other programmes.

Format[]

The show airs from 5 to 7:00 pm on Sundays and is usually pre-recorded during the preceding week, although it has occasionally been broadcast live. The show's format is rather simple, basically consisting of a series of tracks intertwined with emails and messages from listeners, and regular features such as the Cocktail Hour, Wish You Were There, the Lost TV Theme and Thank You.

Current features on the show include:

• All-Star Triple – Three tracks, played in a row, from the same artist. This first replaced the Motown Triple in the second hour of the programme from October 2010. However, at the end of the year, the 'All Star Triple' has now replaced both the Northern Soul and Motown Triples and features in both hours.
• Thank You – A chance for listeners to say 'Thank You' to people that have made a positive difference to their lives. Each Thank You message read out by Paul on-air receives a 'Certificate of Thanks', signed by Paul and the best letter or email of the week, as chosen by Paul, receives a box of chocolates and a T-shirt.
• Cocktail Hour – An easy-listening track accompanied by a cocktail recommendation in the second hour of the programme.
• Lost TV Theme- Each week, in the first hour of the programme, Paul plays a 'lost' TV Theme Tune from an old television programme in full, as well as providing some background information about the programme.
• Wish You Were There – In the second hour of the programme, Paul plays a relaxing piece of music, designed to 'whisk you away to your own piece of paradise'. 'Wish You Were There' no longer features in every edition of the programme.
• Hi-NRG Classic- Occasionally, Paul features a 'Hi-NRG Classic' as part of his playlist.
• Dead Pets – Listeners are invited to pay tribute to their deceased pets. Paul reads out these letters or emails to the Funeral March.
• Lost Shops Or Pubs – Listeners are invited to write or email to the show to inquire give information about their favourite 'lost' shops or pubs.
• Lost Film – Occasionally, towards the end of the show, Paul reads out a 'Lost Film' inquiry that has been sent by a listener who wants to know the name of a particular film that they have seen but cannot remember. This film is revisited during a future programme, where listeners' responses are read out.
• Lost Friends – Listeners are invited to email the show if they wish to get in touch with a person that they have lost contact with.
• It's a Small World – Whenever Paul reads out a letter from a listener not based in the UK, an extract from the song it's a small world (the title song to Disney's series of theme park rides) is played by producer Malcolm Prince. Paul acts disgusted and tries to ruin the clip as much as possible, as he apparently dislikes the song.

From January 2011, each week Paul features a Northern Soul track and a Motown track in his playlist, for any listeners who are missing the extinct triples.

Features that used to regularly appear on the programme, but have now been axed are:

• Northern Soul Triple – In the first hour of the programme, three Northern Soul tracks were played in a row. This feature was axed at the end of 2010 and has been replaced with the 'All Star Triple'.
• Motown Triple – In the second hour of the programme, three Motown tracks were played in a row. This feature was axed at the beginning of September 2010 and was replaced with what was then the new 'All Star Triple'.
• Competition – In the first few months of the programme, listener's were invited to enter a light-hearted monthly competition. The first competition was entitled "Tea For Two on 2" and ran in April, May, June and July 2009. In the first round, the winner was given the opportunity to have tea with Paul and the team at the studios. In the other three months, the winner would receive a luxury hamper filled with tea, scones, biscuits and cakes, or could have tea with Paul and the team as the 'booby prize'. The second competition was entitled "Pressing Paul" and ran in August, September and October 2009. In each of these months, a listener could win the opportunity to have their washing and ironing taken care of by the show, in order to give themselves a break on a Sunday. Paul did not use to take any of the competitions seriously at all, encouraging people "Please don't enter" and "You could win a luxury hamper filled with tea, scones, jams, biscuits, cakes and trifles...or you could opt for the booby prize and join me and the team for tea in the green room!". The competition feature was 'rested' after the October 2009 competition, but has not returned.

Stand-in presenters[]

• Bill Kenwright (2009)
• Richard Allinson (2009)
• Jodie Prenger (2010–2012)
• Martine McCutcheon (2014)
• Len Goodman (2013–18)
• Nicki Chapman (2016)
• Alan Carr & Melanie Sykes (2017–20)
• Christopher Biggins (2017)
• Richard Madeley (2018)
• Gaby Roslin (2018)
• Matt Lucas (2019)
• Paddy O'Connell (2020–21)
• Patrick Kielty (2021-present)

Special editions[]

On 14 November 2010, BBC Radio 2 hosted its annual 'Children in Need Music Marathon'. O'Grady was joined by Jodie Prenger in the studio from 16:00–19:00 on this day, as they took listener's requests, pledges and donations.

On 6 November 2011, the second hour of the show was dedicated to an interview with Susan Boyle.

On 13 November 2011, BBC Radio 2 hosted its 'Children in Need Jukebox'. Paul presented the final two hours of the Jukebox, between 17:00 and 19:00. He was joined in the studio by Jane McDonald in the first hour and Nicki Chapman in the second hour, as they took listener's requests, pledges and donations.

The show has had a lunchtime slot on Christmas Day since 2009, plus Paul had presented his own Christmas Day show in 2008 before his regular show began.

See also[]

• Elaine Paige on Sunday
• Weekend Wogan

References[]

External links[]

• Paul O'Grady on the Wireless at BBC Online