Ken Bruce’s touching intro message as he launches Greatest Hits Radio show

Ken Bruce announced a “brand new start” as he launched his Greatest Hits Radio show.

The veteran DJ left BBC Radio 2 after 31 years last month, where he presented the 9.30am to 12pm show.

On Monday (3 April), he began his new stint with the Bauer station, where he will host the 10am to 1pm show – something he has admitted “struggling” to get used to.

Bruce immediately addressed his inherited listeners who have followed him from the BBC. For his final Radio 2 show, he closed out with “The End”, which is the penultimate song on Beatles record Abbey Road.

His opening song choice for Greatest Hits Radio was designed specifically for them.

“Last time we spoke we had ‘The End’ and now, together, we’re going back to the beginning for a brand new start,” he said, before playing Abbey Road album opener “Come Together”.

After the song ended, he “promised” listeners they were “gonna love” his new show, quipping: “Would I fool you? Only if there was monet in it, so I’m not going to.”

He then said there were “some new things to get used to”, before assuring his fans his beloved game PopMaster would be taking place later in the show.

Bruce followed up “Come Together” with The Bangles’ “Manic Monday” and “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond.

He went on to read out some messages form listeners, one of which said that “:the equilibrium has been restored” after his absence from the airwaves.

When a fan wrote in to say it was good to have Bruce, 72, back, he quipped: “It’s good to be anywhere at my age.”