Paul O’Grady returns to radio with Boom

It will be a busy December for Paul O’Grady, with his ITV Love of Dogs special, and now a return to the radio airwaves with a festive special for Boom Radio, a station that goes from strength to strength thanks to the BBC offering no radio station for older listeners who enjoy pop music across the decades. Since Radio 2 went ‘yoof’ Boom’s listening figures continue to –  well boom – and now one of Radio 2’s former weekend stars is heading in the same direction.

Paul O’Grady:

“Looking forward to being back on the wireless for Christmas Day lunch with the usual unpredictable mayhem! Malcolm and I have been missing you all so I hope you will find us in our latest radio home at Boom.”

O’Grady – who came to prominence on television as drag personality Lily Savage – will host a special Christmas Day show for Boom Radio, following his departure in August from BBC Radio 2 after nearly fourteen years. The commercial radio show will air from midday on December 25th broadcast from Paul’s farm home with ex-BBC producer Malcolm Prince joining in on the dedications special.

Paul will also return to ITV this Christmas with more For the Love of Dogs

Paul decided to call time on his weekly Beeb offering when in a chase for ‘younger listeners’ Radio 2 bosses chopped six months off his output. The chat show host was left unhappy he had to share his 5pm to 7pm Sunday slot with Rob Beckett, with each doing two three-month stints each a year.

Paul O’Grady, speaking in August:

“The reason I’m leaving, because everybody’s asking me this, is because I wasn’t really happy with the 13 weeks on, 13 weeks off business. So, I did the honourable thing, honoured my contract, gave me notice in, and now I’m off.”

Paul has a loyal radio following and Boom Radio believe the signing is a great deal for the station that aims to appeal to the over 50s, with a mix of music from the 1950s to today and a collection of radio broadcasters well-known for their decades on air including David Hamilton, Les Ross and Kid Jensen.

Boom Co-founder David Lloyd:

“This is an absolute coup for Boom and we’re delighted Paul is joining us. So many of our listeners told us how much they missed hearing Paul on the radio, and how much he’d feel at home with the atmosphere on our station because we play music for their generation.”