Night Ride (BBC Radio 2)

Night Ride is a long-running overnight radio programme that was heard for many years on BBC Radio 2. It first went on air in 1967, and was revived as part of a schedule overhaul in January 1984 when it was heard daily from 1am to 3am. In January 1991 it was extended to start at 12.35am, and by the middle of the decade it had become a three-hour programme, beginning at 12.05am.^[1]

Many different presenters hosted the programme over the years, with two presenters at any one time – one during the week, and the other hosting the programme on Friday-to-Sunday nights. Each presented the programme for a couple of months. One of the longest-standing hosts of the programme was Bill Rennells who presented the programme on an ad hoc basis for almost a decade.^[2]

References

^ Sean Street, A Concise History of British Radio, 1922-2002, page 115, 1903053145-- 2002 "Night Ride — A late-night programme on Radio 2 from 1979, developing a number of the Network's announcers as personalities".
^ New Statesman, Volume 130, Issues 4562-4568, page 46, 2001: "'BBC1 is closing down now for tonight, but those of you who aren't quite ready for bed yet can join our friends over on Radio 2, where Bill Rennells is just about to begin his Nightride,' intoned the announcer seemingly every night of my childhood."

[1] Sean Street, A Concise History of British Radio, 1922-2002, page 115, 1903053145-- 2002 "Night Ride — A late-night programme on Radio 2 from 1979, developing a number of the Network's announcers as personalities".

[2] New Statesman, Volume 130, Issues 4562-4568, page 46, 2001: "'BBC1 is closing down now for tonight, but those of you who aren't quite ready for bed yet can join our friends over on Radio 2, where Bill Rennells is just about to begin his Nightride,' intoned the announcer seemingly every night of my childhood."

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