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Other names | Paul O'Grady, TeamPOG, TeamPOGradio |
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Genre | Music, talk |
Running time | 2 hours (17:00 - 19:00) |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Language(s) | English |
Home station | BBC Radio 2 (2009–2022) Boom Radio (2022 Christmas Special) |
Hosted by | Paul O'Grady |
Produced by | Malcolm Prince |
Recording studio | Wogan House, London (2009–2020) |
Original release | 5 April 2009 – 25 December 2022 |
No. of episodes | 547 |
Audio format | Stereo/88–91 FM, DAB digital radio, TV and online |
Website | Official BBC Website |
Paul O'Grady on the Wireless (billed as Paul O'Grady and referred to on-air as TeamPOG or TeamPOGradio) was the incarnation of the Sunday teatime slot on BBC Radio 2 from 5 April 2009 to 14 August 2022, hosted by Paul O'Grady.[1] It was produced by Malcolm Prince, who also made regular contributions to the programme, and it regularly attracted over two million listeners. It was broadcast on Sundays between 17:00 and 19:00.
From its inception until 13 February 2022, the show was broadcast every Sunday. On 2 February 2022, it was announced that BBC management had decided to reduce the number of shows per year from 40 to 26 and that O'Grady would take a break for three months, with the replacement programme hosted by Rob Beckett.[2] O’Grady returned on 22 May 2022 for a new series of thirteen shows which ran until mid-August. He continued to broadcast from his home.
On 9 August 2022, it was announced that O'Grady would be leaving the network after fourteen years and that the final show of the series, the 546th edition, would be the last to air on Radio 2, on Sunday 14 August.[3] His producer Prince also left the BBC. Beckett replaced him full time on Sunday afternoons.
On 21 November 2022, Prince announced that he and O'Grady would return to host the annual Christmas Day special on Boom Radio, with O'Grady again broadcasting from home.[4]
The show was to return for an Easter special on Boom Radio on 9 April 2023, and a regular slot in May but this was cancelled due to O'Grady's sudden death on 28 March, and was replaced by a specially adapted repeat of his 2022 Christmas show, including an introduction by Prince.
Plus, 3 of the show's specials were made available to listen to again on BBC Sounds and were re-broadcast by Radio 2.
The series was never actually billed as Paul O'Grady on the Wireless; in the Radio Times, it was simply listed as Paul O'Grady.