A familiar voice to millions of listeners is saying goodbye. BBC Radio 2 presenter Liza Tarbuck has confirmed she is stepping down from her much-loved Saturday evening show after more than a decade behind the microphone.
The comedian and actress, 61, announced the news on Wednesday night, revealing she has decided to leave the station because she “wants her weekends back” after hosting the programme since 2012.
For 14 years, Liza has been the voice behind Radio 2’s Saturday evening slot from 6pm to 8pm, building a devoted audience who tuned in each week for her warm humour and relaxed style.
Sharing the announcement with fans on Instagram, Liza reflected on the unique community that grew around the show. She said they had managed to make two hours of radio feel like a private members’ club, calling the experience “the stuff of dreams.” She added that thousands of listeners had enjoyed each other’s company like great friends and thanked them for letting her into their lives, saying it had been “a privilege.”
Following her announcement, Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2, paid tribute to the veteran presenter. She said that every Saturday evening Liza created a magical and fantastical world for listeners. Helen added that the star was beloved by everyone at the station as well as her loyal audience, and assured that the door at Radio 2 would always remain open for her. She also said Liza would be hugely missed and wished her the best for whatever comes next.
The emotional announcement triggered a flood of messages from listeners begging her not to leave. One fan wrote that if Liza really was leaving, BBC Sounds should make all of her shows available forever because it might be the only way to cope. Another joked that the situation should be discussed in Parliament because it felt like a “national disaster.”
Many others shared heartfelt tributes. One listener wrote that the show spoke to their soul and could make them cry and laugh in equal measure, adding that they even cooked while listening to it live and on countless replays. Another admitted Liza was the only DJ they tuned in to hear on Radio 2 and pleaded for her to appear somewhere else soon.
For now, the slot will be temporarily hosted by Shaun Keaveny until the end of March, while Radio 2 plans its next steps.
Liza, the daughter of legendary comedian Jimmy Tarbuck and his wife Pauline, has enjoyed a long career in British entertainment. She first rose to prominence in 1987 when she starred in the Granada Television comedy series Watching. Two years later, she appeared as Dana in Victoria Wood’s comedy anthology Mens Sana in Thingummy Doodah.
Over the years she also appeared in hit comedy shows including Extras, created by Ricky Gervais, and French & Saunders, before becoming one of the most recognisable voices on BBC Radio 2.
