BBC Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay has issued an apology to listeners after admitting a transgression that would have seen him 'fired' at some radio stations. During his show, Kay spent around three minutes detailing his programme's nomination for a prestigious radio award, acknowledging that such a lengthy segment would be unacceptable on commercial radio.
Nomination for ARIAS
Vernon's Radio 2 show is among the nominees for the ARIAS for their coverage of the Oasis Homecoming Concert last summer. The DJ went backstage at their first gig in Heaton Park, which marked their first concert in hometown Manchester for 16 years. The show faces competition from Sky News's coverage of Donald Trump's State Visit, The King's Trust Carol Concert on Magic Classical, and Live Aid Relived on Greatest Hits Radio.
Kay's Apology
After praising his team and wishing the show 'good luck', Kay said: 'You know if we were on commercial radio we'd be fired by now.' He then imitated a radio executive, saying: 'That link was 30 seconds. You did three minutes. If you'd like to collect your P45 on the way out that would be fine.' He added: 'Yes I know I've been wanging on, I apologise. I promise I'll play loads of great tracks back to back.'
Reflections on Oasis Reunion
Kay began the segment by expressing the 'joy' he experienced being involved in the iconic Oasis Homecoming Concert. He recalled: 'Grown men were weeping. It's embarrassing. We went into Manchester city centre after the show and said, shall we nip into Boots and get some factor 30? In the 90s, it was like, who's got the beers? We had a brilliant summer, and so did the majority of the nation, just soaking up that wave of joy.'
A Disney-produced documentary on the Oasis reunion tour is set for cinema release in September. Kay noted: 'Apparently, I heard that Noel and Liam are not going to see it until it's actually finished. Some people have seen rough edits. No, you're going to see for the first time what people are going to see.'
