BB FANS

Davina to host Radio 2 show



McCall: her chatshow was poorly received by critics and viewers

Davina McCall is to host the morning programme on Radio 2 next week, the first time she has presented a daily show on the network.

The Big Brother host is stepping in for regular presenter Ken Bruce on the first week of his two-week holiday.

McCall is the latest TV presenter recruited by Radio 2 controller Lesley Douglas, following Alan Titchmarsh, Richard Hammond, Dermot O'Leary and Russell Brand.

McCall, O'Leary and Brand have all worked on Channel 4's Big Brother, and are all represented by agent John Noel.

McCall has made brief appearances on Radio 2 before, presenting the Brits 25 - Best Song Award programme to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Brits.

The Big Brother host, who started her career on MTV, has long been tipped for a career in radio and was linked with the Capital Radio breakfast job when it was vacated by Chris Tarrant.

She was also one of the DJs on UK Radio Aid two years ago, the commercial radio initiative to help the victims of the tsunami disaster.

But her best-known stint at the BBC will be remembered for the wrong reasons - her BBC1 chatshow Davina lasted just one series after it flopped with viewers and critics.

She has since appeared on BBC shows including Question Time, Comic Relief and Room 101.

Radio 2 is the country's most popular radio station with 13.25 million listeners, helping the BBC to a record lead over commercial radio in the first three months of this year.

The latest audience figures, for the second quarter of 2007, are published this Thursday.

The second week of Ken Bruce's holiday will be filled by Aled Jones.
guardian

Davina 2 help Ken's radio spot

DAVINA McCall is grabbing her earphones to host Radio 2’s mid-morning show next week.

The Big Brother host is stepping in for Ken Bruce on the first week of his fortnight off.

It’s not Davina’s first radio flirtation – she was once tipped for Capital’s breakfast job.

In Ken’s second week off, Radio 2 regular Aled Jones will be Walking In The Airwaves in his place.

Sun

Good clients for radio
Big Brother host Davina McCall begins her first daily stint on Radio 2 today, hired by station controller Lesley Douglas to fill in for Ken Bruce for the week. It means most of agent John Noel's major clients - McCall, Dermot O'Leary and Russell Brand - have shows on the country's most popular radio station. Monkey can only be thankful that Noel parted company with Jade Goody after her unfortunate return to Celebrity Big Brother, otherwise she would presumably be Terry Wogan's holiday cover.
guardian

Davina's stint as a stand-in turns off Radio 2 listeners

Listeners have bombarded Radio 2 with complaints about Davina McCall after she stood in for Ken Bruce this week.

They said she talked too much about 'sexually orientated' subjects and kept referring to Big Brother - which she presents.

Other listeners claimed she was turning the show into a radio version of ITV daytime TV series Loose Women.

Some were offended when she told Terry Wogan she would not flash her chest at him because she had breastfed three children.

More said they were bored with her talking about her party antics and claimed she keeps 'advertising' other celebrities' books. Listeners described 39-year-old Miss McCall's noisy style as childish and puerile.

The BBC's message boards have been inundated with complaints from listeners about her tenure on the show, with more than 100 venting their feelings after she took over the reins for the first week of Mr Bruce's holiday.

Aled Jones sits in for Ken Bruce for a week from Monday.

One listener said of Miss McCall: "It's only six minutes in and I'm reaching for the off switch. I think it is the pseudo mateyness which really turns my stomach."

Another complained: "Gave her ten minutes and switched to Plymouth Sound. And that is saying something."

"She is awful, why do they persist with these people," said yet another.

This is the latest in a series of complaints by Radio 2 listeners at what is seen as dumbing-down.

Miss McCall's career was dealt a heavy blow last year after her BBC1 chat-show was panned by critics and dumped after disappointing ratings.

thisislondon

Having listened to the show all week at work ,we liked it.

Although she might not meet Radio 2's normal level, it was presented more like local radio.

Davina McCall Radio Complaints

The BBC said today that Davina McCall's period as a stand-in host on BBC Radio 2 has attracted more than 150 complaints from listeners.

The Big Brother presenter filled in on Ken Bruce's weekday morning show last week.

But the BBC said 156 people complained, while others posted comments about her on the BBC messageboards.

The BBC said it "fully recognised the strength of feeling" but that McCall had extensive broadcasting experience and was a suitable stand-in.

A BBC statement said: "Davina has a chatty style of presentation and we feel this is in keeping with fellow Radio 2 presenters, such as Chris Evans and Dermot O'Leary

"The Ken Bruce show reaches a broad audience of over six million listeners.

"While we appreciate that Davina's style is different to Ken's, we are also getting a positive reaction from some Radio 2 listeners who are really enjoying the show."

McCall filled in for the first week of Bruce's fortnight-long holiday, while singer Aled Jones will take his place next week.

waveguide.co.uk

Host Davina is 'childish drivel'

THE BBC have been forced to defend their decision to use Davina McCall as a stand-in on a Radio 2 show - after it was inundated with complaints about her presenting.

For the past week the Big Brother host has been sitting in for Ken Bruce while he takes a break from his popular mid-morning slot.

But her stint over the microphone has not gone down well with listeners, prompting more than 150 people to complain.

Comments on the BBC message board criticised the 39-year-old's "childish drivel".

The SUN