Vernon Kay paid an emotional on-air tribute to his BBC Radio 2 colleague Trevor Nelson after Nelson announced he is stepping back from his weekday afternoon show due to health issues. Nelson, 62, revealed he is taking a break to undergo further medical tests following a routine check-up.
Nelson's Announcement and Kay's Response
On Friday morning, Nelson took to Instagram to inform his followers: 'I wanted to let my followers, radio listeners and all my Soul Nation party-people know that I'm going to be taking a little break from my work commitments.' He explained that after a routine check-up, he was advised to have follow-up tests and would be taking further time off. Nelson urged fans not to speculate on his specific health issue, stating: 'As I'm sure you can appreciate with health issues it's important to deal with facts and not speculate.' He concluded: 'So I'm concentrating on getting better, being back to 100% me and to getting back behind the mic and the decks.'
Kay, 52, responded during his mid-morning show shortly after. 'Everyone at BBC Radio 2, including the mid-morning show are sending Trevor all the very very best wishes, we absolutely love him to bits,' he said. Kay described Nelson as 'a stalwart broadcaster within the UK' and shared that they had played golf together a couple of weeks ago, noting Nelson was 'in a buoyant mood.' He added: 'And I know that this challenge is something that Trevor is gonna face head on. So Trevor we are sending you all our love and hopefully see you on the links very soon my friend.'
Colleagues and Celebrities Send Support
Nelson's post garnered well-wishes from numerous colleagues and celebrities. Melvin Odoom commented, 'Sending love and positive vibes Trev,' while Anita Rani wrote, 'Sending love. Rest and heal Trevor. X.' Stormzy and Alesha Dixon sent three love hearts each, Romesh Ranganathan called him 'Love legend,' and Jools Holland said, 'Get well soon.' The BBC Radio 2 social media account added: 'Sending so much love from the Radio 2 family.'
Lorna Clarke, BBC's director of music, issued a statement: 'Everyone at BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 1 XTra wishes Trevor a very speedy recovery and we all look forward to him returning to his shows whenever he is ready.'
Recent Achievements and Career Highlights
Nelson's health announcement came just days after he received the Judge's Special Recognition Award at the Television and Radio Industries Club (Tric) Awards on Tuesday. Listeners can still hear him present The Music Is Black concert from Hackney Empire on Sunday night on BBC Radio 2, which was pre-recorded last month. The event celebrated black music in Britain with performances from Alison Limerick, Courtney Pine, and Omar, among others.
In February, Nelson marked 30 years at the BBC, including his work on 1 Xtra, where he championed R'n'B music in the UK. A host of celebrities congratulated him, including Alicia Keys, Lemar, Eve, Jessie J, Nile Rodgers, Craig David, Sade, Jessie Ware, and Stephen Graham, with Sir Lenny Henry performing Happy Birthday. Nile Rodgers thanked Nelson for his long-running support, while Sade described him as an inspiration who had 'gone the distance.'
Nelson's BBC Career Journey
Nelson's BBC career began in 1996 when he moved from KISS FM to Radio 1, presenting the UK's first national R&B show. He later launched the first national R&B chart show and worked on BBC Radio 1Xtra from 2007 onward. In 2008, he took on a weekly soul music slot on Radio 2. In January 2019, he launched Trevor Nelson's Rhythm Nation on Radio 2, airing four days a week, before replacing Scott Mills on the weekday afternoon show in 2025. Nelson typically presents weekdays from 2 to 4pm on Radio 2.
