Presenter says 'I shall miss her warmth' as BBC makes major change
The BBC has permanently switched off its long-wave radio service, bringing nearly a century of broadcasting to an end. Radio 4, which was the last long-wave radio station in the UK, had its service permanently switched off at 1am on Saturday.
Presenter Al Ryan signed off the final transmission with an emotional tribute. "I shall miss her warmth and crackle," he said, as he marked what he described as the end of an era. During the final shipping forecast, he reflected on the service's legacy. "Before we leave you tonight I just wanted to take a moment to mark the end of an era. For almost a century the long wave transmitters have carried the BBC across the airwaves from the iconic Droitwich transmitting station in Worcestershire to Westerglen in Falkirk in Scotland. Although the long-wave signal is fading into history this morning the memories and connections it created will endure forever. We shall miss your warmth and crackle."
Long-wave services have been used since 1934 and played a significant role during the Second World War by carrying vital communications. Radio 4 adopted the frequency in 1978 and has continued broadcasting on it for almost five decades. The service was home to iconic programmes including The Archers, Desert Island Discs and the shipping forecast.
The BBC first announced its intention to close the service in 2022 and ended Radio 4's separate long-wave scheduling in 2024. The corporation stated that long-wave technology is coming to the end of its life and its continued use would represent a significant investment for a platform used by only a small proportion of listeners.
Radio 4 will continue to be available across FM, DAB, television platforms and digital services, with the BBC confirming that no programmes will be lost as a result of the closure. However, campaigners opposed the decision, citing the importance of long-wave as a non-digital national communication network, particularly for remote and rural communities, mariners and fishermen.