Ken Bruce says BBC should ‘watch where it’s going' as he vents about younger presenters

Ken Bruce has shared his concerns for the future of the BBC and the next generation of radio talent.

The veteran broadcaster, 73, was a staple at the BBC for 46 years before leaving in April last year for Greatest Hits Radio with fans following him to the Bauer Media-owned radio station.

At the time he claimed the decision to leave was his own, describing his time with the corporation as “tremendously happy”.

However last September, the Scottish star said he decided to leave for the rival station because he felt it was “time for a change”.

He was asked to leave before his contract ended, after informing bosses of his intention to depart, which he found “petty” and “disrespectful”.

Now, in an interview with The Times, he has shared his fears for the direction that the BBC is heading, calling it a “slow organisation to turn around”. 

He told the publication: “I do worry for the future of the BBC. I think it needs to watch where it is going.

“Commercial radio is really healthy; it is growing and growing and growing. And I just think it’s difficult to reinvent something [the Radio 2 schedule] that has been successful for many years.

“It’s a slow organisation to turn around, like a supertanker. It needs people with vision to make sure it goes the right way.”

Bruce also vented his frustrations about younger presenters who he says spend too much time behind the mic talking about their own lives.

He explained: “I think some younger people in broadcasting, less experienced people, can say, “They want to hear me talk about myself.” And that’s not necessarily true.

“It’s not about what you say, it’s what you don’t say on radio,” he continued.

“You don’t have to talk a lot to make an impression. You can do that in three words or a sentence. You don’t have to talk for four minutes about what you were doing or what you thought was funny.”