Legendary BBC radio presenter Desmond Carrington is to step down from presenting duties due to ill health.
The 90-year-old, who lives in Dunning, fronts the BBC Radio 2 programme The Music Goes Round.
He made the shock announcement while signing off from his weekly show.
He said: “I wasn’t too well after my 90th birthday and it has been a bit difficult to carry on with the 36 happy years I’ve had making ‘the music go round’, so reluctantly – but I hope sensibly – I’m going to hang up my headphones at the end of October and say ‘enough is enough’.
“Seventy years on the air since 1945 isn’t a bad record, and it is now time to welcome someone younger.”
Desmond has battled cancer and Alzheimer’s disease for several years.
He suffered a second heart failure on Christmas Day 2015 and was operated on within two hours. He was back behind the microphone just 10 days later with neither Radio 2 management nor his audience aware of what had happened.
Bob Shennan, Controller of Radio 2, said: “I want to thank Desmond for his extraordinary contribution to Radio 2 over four decades. He is a unique broadcaster and has always been a central character in the Radio 2 family. We will miss him, as will his adoring audience.”
Tony Hall, BBC director-general, added: “Desmond has made a huge contribution to BBC Radio as part of his remarkable 70-year career.
“He is a natural broadcaster who exudes great charm, and his weekly programme brings joy to listeners both at home and around the world. On behalf of everyone at Radio 2, the BBC and all of his millions of listeners, I’d like to thank him for his incredible service and wish him well.”
Following Desmond’s final show a series of Sounds of the 50s, hosted by Leo Green, will be broadcast until December 30.
Desmond began his broadcasting career in 1945, joining a British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) radio station in Colombo, Ceylon.
After leaving the army, he spent several years acting on TV and in theatre, as well as presenting on the radio.
His weekly Friday evening programme, The Music Goes Round, has been broadcast on Radio 2 for 36 years. The show, which was originally called All Time Greats, first aired on October 4 1981.
