Radio 2 DJ Ken Bruce has hit out at the current trend of hiring TV presenters to present prime time radio shows.

Bruce says that radio executives “have lost their gifts as talent-spotters” and also disapproves of the growing ranks of stand up comedians on radio.

Ken said:

“I have great admiration for people who do fast-moving live television, but an awful lot of television is just stand up, smile and you really often don’t have to think for yourself.

“A lot of television personalities have done great radio, such as Jonathan Ross, but too often a famous face is parachuted into a prime radio slot with no experience of, or particular aptitude for, the medium.”

In his memoir Tracks Of My Years, published on Friday, Bruce goes further saying: “Stand-up comedians are also seen as a ripe recruiting area, and here too there are many who have a real gift for the intimate communication that radio needs, but there are far too many who simply come on and do a version of their act.

“Loud, larger-than-life performances work in clubs and theatres, but not on radio.”

He continues: “Managements have lost their gifts as talent-spotters and are too content to rely on a proven public profile to garner an audience.”