Vernon Kay reassures concerned Radio 2 listeners as he prepares to take over Ken Bruce show

Vernon Kay has reassured Radio 2 listeners about his plans when he takes over Ken Bruce’s show, after “loads” of them got in touch with the same concern.

The presenter, 49, will take the reins on BBC Radio 2 on weekdays between 9.30am and 12 noon, from 15 May.

He is taking over the slot formerly held by Bruce, 72, who left the corporation in March for Greatest Hits Radio.

While Kay is known for his love of dance music, he has said he has no plans to fill the airwaves with it.

“I’ve had loads of people tweet me, ‘Oh, please don’t be 24/7 dance music,’” he told The Observer.

“And I’m like, ‘No, no, no…’ They think I’m going to turn up with a pair of Technics 1210 [turntables] and a box of vinyl: ‘Here’s some Sven Väth for you, ladies and gentlemen.’

“It’s not going to be that, don’t worry.”

The presenter also shared a great piece of advice he was given by the late Strictly Come Dancing star Bruce Forsyth, who Kay met through his wife Tess Daly.

Kay said: “[Forsyth told me,] ‘It’s called show business: show business is two words. Let them deal with the business. You deal with the show. If you do a great show, great business will come. If you do a bad show, it’ll be bad business. Don’t join the two.’ Never a truer word said from the great man.”

In February, Kay was moved to tears over the positive response from his colleagues to his new job. Read more here.

Bruce, meanwhile, claimed that the BBC had pushed him out of his slot early.