Here comes the weekend! Graham Norton to present new Saturday morning Radio 2 show

BBC Radio 2 today announces Graham Norton as the new host of the Saturday morning show from Saturday 2 October 2010.

Graham will broadcast live from the BBC Radio 2 studios in London from 10am to 1pm every Saturday morning, hosting the brand new programme which will be produced by Radio 2.

The show will be packed with live musical performances, unique features, celebrity guests and chat with both guests and listeners, all presented in Graham’s inimitable style.

Graham is already familiar to the Radio 2 audience and is currently deputising for breakfast presenter Chris Evans until Friday 14 May (7am-9.30am) while Chris is on holiday.

Bob Shennan, Controller, BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music, is delighted with the appointment: "Graham is one of the nation’s favourite entertainment presenters and I’m hugely excited to welcome him to his new permanent home on Radio 2.

"From this autumn, our Saturday daytime schedule will kick off with Zoe Ball at 6am, into one of the most listened to shows on UK radio, Sounds Of The Sixties presented by Brian Matthew, leading into Graham, Dale Winton, Dermot O’Leary, Alan Carr, Paul Gambaccini and Steve Lamacq.

“This rare combination of diverse talent is what makes Radio 2 the much-loved network that it is today.”

Graham can’t wait to get started: “I’m thrilled to be a part of it. My liver is also delighted that I’ll now have an excuse to leave the pub early on a Friday night.”

Graham succeeds Jonathan Ross, who steps down from the slot in July 2010 after presenting his programme since 1999.

Bob pays tribute to Jonathan: “I’d like to thank Jonathan for making the Saturday morning slot on Radio 2 such a huge success over the past 11 years, and during that time, contributing fully to the renaissance of Radio 2.”

An announcement will be made at a later date regarding the interim presenter/presenters.

Graham joins the sterling roster of talent on Radio 2, including Sir Terry Wogan, Jeremy Vine, Chris Evans, Paul O’Grady and Johnnie Walker.

With a record weekly reach of 14.57m listeners, the network prides itself in producing the industry’s richest mix of speech and music, from Jeremy Vine’s daily current affairs show which is listened to by a weekly audience of 6.42m, to Paul Weller performing with Richard Hawley and newcomers Rox and Lauren Pritchard for Radio 2 In Concert.