35 Facts About Ken Bruce

Kenneth Robertson Bruce was born on 2 February 1951 and is a Scottish broadcaster who is best known for hosting his long-running weekday mid-morning show on BBC Radio 2 from 1986 to 1990, and then again from 1992 to 2023.

Ken Bruce made his debut on commercial station Greatest Hits Radio on 3 April 2023.

Ken Bruce began his broadcasting career with the Hospital Broadcasting Service in Glasgow.

In 1980, Ken Bruce took on the mid-morning slot and then, in 1983, he presented a daily afternoon entertainment show.

Ken Bruce hosted his mid-morning show on the BBC World Service in the late 1980s.

Ken Bruce presented Radio 2 Ballroom programmes regularly from November 1980 until 1982.

Ken Bruce became a stand-in presenter on Radio 2, mainly covering for Ray Moore on the Early show.

Ken Bruce became a regular presenter for Radio 2 in January 1984 when he assumed hosting duties for the Saturday late night show in addition to his continuing show on Radio Scotland.

In January 1985, Ken Bruce left Radio Scotland and took over from Terry Wogan on The Radio 2 Breakfast Show, being replaced himself by Derek Jameson in April 1986.

Ken Bruce then began his first stint on the mid-morning show which lasted until the end of March 1990, when he took over the late show until the end of that year.

Ken Bruce then hosted the early show throughout 1991, and on 6 January 1992 he returned to the mid-morning slot.

Ken Bruce announced on 17 January 2023 that he would be leaving BBC Radio 2 in March of that year to pursue other opportunities outside the BBC, including hosting a new mid-morning show for Greatest Hits Radio, replacing Mark Goodier.

Ken Bruce's show emphasises music, and on Radio 2 he included regular live performances.

The comedian and impressionist Rob Brydon, who is noted for his mimicry of Ken Bruce, sat in for him on 25 August 2008 and again as an April fool prank in 2011 when Brydon impersonated Ken Bruce throughout.

PopMaster has run as a feature of Ken Bruce's show since 16 February 1998.

Ken Bruce himself was a PopMaster contestant during his show on 17 May 2013, when he took part in a special Eurovision edition of the quiz, live from Malmo, Sweden.

In December 2008, Ken Bruce was officially inducted into the Radio Academy Hall of Fame.

Brydon interviewed "Sir Terry Wogan", and Bruce himself appeared at the end of the show as his "brother Kenn with two Ns".

Ken Bruce returned to broadcasting from Wogan House in June 2021.

On 3 April 2023, Ken Bruce began broadcasting on Greatest Hits Radio with his first song being "Come Together" by The Beatles.

Ken Bruce presented BBC Proms in the Park for many years.

Ken Bruce was a regular presenter of the long-running Sunday Night is Music Night.

Ken Bruce occasionally makes appearances in "Dictionary Corner" on Channel 4's Countdown, the most recent stint being during the week of 11 February 2013.

Ken Bruce holds a PCV driving licence and is the co-owner of a number of AEC Routemaster buses with Charles Nove, Alan Dedicoat and Steve Madden.

Ken Bruce has referred to the buses as "a fantastic piece of engineering and such fun to have".

On 3 March 2008, Ken Bruce took part in Ready, Steady, Cook, broadcast on BBC Two, with Lynn Bowles.

In 2014, Ken Bruce narrated the BBC One game show Reflex.

Ken Bruce appeared in celebrity episodes of The Chase on 4 October 2014 and 12 December 2021.

Ken Bruce featured with his son Charlie on the fifth series of Big Star's Little Star and in October 2018, he made a cameo appearance on Hollyoaks.

In February 2023, Ken Bruce appeared with Murray in the first part of a BBC Two documentary series, presented by Chris Packham, titled Inside Our Autistic Minds.

Ken Bruce married Kerith Coldham in September 2000, with whom he has two sons and one daughter, he has two sons from his first marriage and a daughter from his second.

Ken Bruce's youngest child Charlie Bruce was born in February 2008.

One of his sons, Murray, is autistic and Ken Bruce is an active campaigner for autism charities.

Ken Bruce's autobiography was published on 4 September 2009, entitled The Tracks of My Years: The Autobiography.

In September 2018, Ken Bruce became the patron of Stoke Mandeville Hospital Radio, replacing former mayor of Aylesbury and long-standing patron and co-founder of the station, Freda Roberts.