DJ Desmond hangs up his headphones
Radio fave bows out aged 90
Veteran BBC Radio 2 presenter Desmond Carrington has announced he is to play his last record on air later this month.
Currently broadcasting from his Strathearn studio to hundreds of thousands of listeners, ‘ The Music Goes Round’ presenter has been on the airwaves since 1945 – including 36 years on Radio 2.
The 90-year-old will step down on Friday, October 28, with a final edition of the programme showcasing some of his favourite songs and artists.
Mr Carrington announced his forthcoming departure during a recent broadcast, saying: “And now for a bit of difficult news, my friends.
“I wasn’t too well after my 90th birthday and it has been a bit difficult to carry on with the 36 happy years I’ve had making ‘the music go round’, so reluctantly – but, I hope, sensibly – I’m going to hang up my headphones at the end of October and say ‘enough is enough’.
“Seventy years on the air since 1945 isn’t a bad record, and it is now time to welcome someone younger.”
Bob Shennan, Controller of Radio 2, paid tribute to the hugelypopular presenter.
He said: “I want to thank Desmond for his extraordinary contribution to Radio 2 over four decades. He is a unique broadcaster and has always been a central character in the Radio 2 family. We will miss him, as will his adoring audience.”
Mr Carrington is reportedly retiring due to ill-health, having battled cancer and Alzheimer’s disease for several years.
He suffered a second heart failure on Christmas Day last year and was operated on within two hours.
But was back behind the microphone just 10 days later – although those health problems were not reported at the time.
The Friday evening programme, ‘ The Music Goes Round’, which was originally called ‘All Time Greats’, first aired on Sunday, October 4, in 1981 with Mr Carrington as presenter. Its name was changed in 2004.
He broadcasts the programme from his home in the Dunning area supported by producer Dave Aylott, signing off each edition with the famed: “Bye just now from Desmond Carrington”.
His personal library of music currently sits at more than 250,000 tracks, built up since the 1940s and spanning every genre of music.