Vernon Kay barely audible in 'awkward' BBC Radio 2 show
What did you miss?
BBC Radio 2 listeners were calling for Vernon Kay to be replaced on Monday morning when he turned up to work with such a bad throat that he was barely audible.
The presenter hosts the station's morning show between 9.30am and 12pm, but from his opening words it was clear that he had almost entirely lost his voice, telling his audience that he planned on "more music, less chat".
Kay's show followed the return of Zoe Ball, who made her comeback to the breakfast show after an unexplained six-week break.
What, how, and why?
If there's one non-negotiable for a radio host, it's being able to keep up an endless patter throughout the show - so BBC Radio 2 listeners were left wondering why Vernon Kay had come into work on Monday when a sore throat made him barely audible.
The radio presenter tried to introduce his show, but his voice kept cutting out to a whisper as he said: "I apologise, I'm a bit groggy this morning."
Zoe Ball, who was welcomed back to the breakfast show after a six-week absence, handed over to him and said: "Oh no, you sound terrible!"
Read more: Zoe Ball
Zoe Ball sends 'so much love' to radio colleagues amid BBC Radio 2 return(Manchester Evening News, 2 min read)
Zoe Ball's quip to listeners on return to BBC Radio 2 show after mystery absence(Lancashire Telegraph, 2 min read)
Zoe Ball's statement in full as she returns to Radio 2 with heartfelt thanks to Scott Mills after six-week absence(OK!, 3 min read)
Kay explained: "I've woken up with a hideous throat. It's going to be more music, less chat."
Ball, whose show was covered by Celebrity Race Across The World winner Scott Mills while she was away, asked: "Shall we get Scott Mills in?" But Kay replied: "No, we'll be alright. It's just going to be a little bit awkward for two and a half hours."
"That's what happened to Jo (Wiley) when she was doing Glastonbury this year," said Ball. "It's the thing when your voice sounds normal and then it cracks, it's like being a teenager. Good luck, do you want me to hover, just in case? They've had enough of me. Good luck, you're going to need it."
One listener commented on X: "Has @BBCRadio2 got no one who could fill in for @vernonkay today? Love him to bits but if he can hardly speak at the start whats he going to be like by the end!?"
Someone else agreed: "@vernonkay sounds dreadful with his sore throat on the radio. Surely it wd have been better to stay off?" They later added: "It's actually a bit unprofessional I m o. I don't know what @BBCRadio2 are thinking of. It's 1 thing him going in, but Vernon wasn't sent home sounding like that when he's on for 2.5 hours?"
Another listener added: "Good grief. @vernonkay is paid to talk. Today he unable to talk due to a throat infection. Get him off!"
But one sympathetic fan wrote: "Someone get poor @vernonkay a hot lemon and honey!!!"
What did Zoe Ball say in her BBC Radio 2 return?
Ball has been absent from her BBC Radio 2 breakfast show for six weeks but made a welcome return on Monday morning where she thanked listeners for their support and said she wanted to pass on the love she had received to two fellow breakfast presenters.
BBC Radio 6 Music's Lauren Laverne and Heart Radio's Jamie Theakston have both recently shared that they have been diagnosed with cancer, and Ball wished them well in their recoveries.
During Monday morning's show, Ball thanked Scott Mills for covering her show and sent her love to Laverne and Theakston, saying: "Just want to say mega thanks to my friend, the newly crowned champion of Race Across The World Scott Mills."
She added: "I must say while we're mentioning sending some love, our breakfast friends, Lauren Laverne over at 6 Music currently going through some cancer treatment, she's doing ok but I just wanted to send my whole heart out to her. And my dear Live & Kicking and The Priory mate Jamie Theakston who's also having some treatment for cancer at the moment, and he's going to be ok and he's doing well.
"Sending them both lots of love out there, so a lot of the love I got to me, I send back to them."
Vernon Kay's show airs on BBC Radio 2 at 9.30am on weekdays.
