Head of BBC Radio 2 reveals the workings behind Radio 2 in the Park Preston & what she's looking forward to

Radio 2 in the Park is on at Preston’s Moor Park between Friday, September 6 and Sunday, September 8, promising audiences three nights of spectacular music from across the eras and genres.

Ahead of the festival, we got the opportunity to chat to the Head of Radio 2, Helen Thomas, all about how Radio 2 in the Park was organised, what she is most looking forward to about the weekend, and why people should grab those last remaining tickets.

Take a look at what Helen had to say below...

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Could you please explain what being Head of Radio 2 means?

“Well it is, without question, the best job in the world because Radio 2 is the biggest radio station in the UK, we have a weekly audience of 13.3 million listeners, which basically means that nearly one in four of all adults who are listening to radio in the UK are listening to Radio 2 so the reach is absolutely massive. 

“I also get to work with the brightest and best personalities in the business who come from a range of backgrounds, be that people who've been working in radio for years, the biggest entertainment stars, musicians, stars of musical theatre -  people who are at the very top of their field want to come and work on Radio 2, where they can broadcast to the biggest possible audience and play the broadest mix of music that you will hear on any radio station. 

“On average, at Radio 2 we would play about 15,000 different tracks every single year and if you compare that to our nearest commercial competitors, a generous estimate would be that they play about 4000. So the breadth of music, the range of eras, everything from the 1960s to the present day, the different types of music, be it folk, rock, jazz, show tunes, classic pop, brand new music, we've got it all going on. So I'm lucky enough to be steering the ship so to speak.”

Speaking of varied music, how are you feeling about Radio 2 in the Park this weekend?

“I can promise you I've got butterflies going in my tummy because Radio 2 in the Park is the single biggest audience facing initiative that we do. We took the radio station out on the road for two days in Leicester last year where we had Tears of Fears and Kylie Minogue headlining and this year, we're coming up to Preston and we're making it bigger than ever! So Preston gets three days, you get our pre party on the Friday as well. 

“We're going to be playing in the field to 70,000 people over the course of those three days and as I say, literally millions and millions of people listening at home. So yeah the excitement levels are huge and we just want to put on a really, really great show for the people of the north west and Preston who have offered us such a fantastically generous and warm welcome.

“I have to say, Preston Council have been an absolute delight to work with! They really have been enthusiastic and on board and really supportive of our fantastic live events team from the very get go, when they started scouting locations.”

Why was Preston chosen as the location? 

“Well if you're going to put on an event for 70,000 people, there are certain key criteria that you absolutely need. Number one being a park: a park that is going to be big enough to hold that amount of people, and that is flat because, as we know, a large proportion of the Radio 2 audience like to bring chairs -and quite right too, I'm with them! We then need to make sure that that here is really great infrastructure all the way around the park, so that people can get in and out of the site really safely and easily. 

“I'm also from Hull originally, and I know that audiences in the north give artists the most incredible welcome. We had our socks blown off in Leicester last year, and I just know that the Preston crowd is going to be incredible when we get there. Not least because we've got so many big North-western names on our schedule, with the likes of Vernon Kay, Sara Cox, Paddy McGuinness and Mark Radcliffe. This is something of a homecoming. They might be Bolton but it’s just up the road so we’re really, really, really delighted to be coming to Lancashire.” 

How did you choose the acts? 

“Well, our fantastic head of music, Jeff Smith, is in charge of booking the lineup. Pretty much as soon as Leicester was over, he was already looking to fill the headline slots for 2024 and what he does so brilliantly is make sure that the line-up reflects the range of music that we play on Radio 2 … and we know that people across the generations listen to Radio 2. It's a proper family listen, we know that parents are listening while the school kids are getting ready in the morning, grandparents are listening while they're taking their grandkids to football at the weekend and we know that families love to listen to Radio 2 together, so the music that we play reflects that wide range of eras. 

“The presenters that we have on the station, everyone from Tony Blackburn right through to Rylan, also reflects the wide range of people who listen to Radio 2 and all our presenters will be doing DJ sets as well when they're in Preston so as well as seeing musical acts from different eras on the main stage, people will be able to go and see Tony Blackburn DJing, and then later on, they'll be able to see Vernon Kay doing ‘Dance Sounds of the 90s’ or Paddy McGuinness doing his ‘Sunday School Disco’ where, believe it or not, he'll be bringing out Black Lace! There's a whole host of amazing activity going on which hopefully will appeal to everyone who listens to Radio 2.”

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Who are you most looking forward to seeing perform? 

“Oh my god, now you’re asking me! Well I mean all of them, obviously, but I'm really excited about Sting, I have to say. I saw Sting once, when he toured with Paul Simon, probably about nine years ago, but seeing Sting on his own - or with Sting version 3.0 as it's called, the band that he's now working with- I'm really excited to see those Police songs live. 

“Pet Shop Boys are always a visual spectacle, and as a girl from Hull, I always have a soft spot for Paul Heaton. I watched his set at Glastonbury, and when he was singing some of the old Housemartin songs, I had a little tear in my eye, so I'm very much looking forward to seeing him. Sister Sledge are also going to bring the party, Craig David is going to get everyone dancing. There really is genuinely something for everyone.” 

Why should the people of Lancashire grab those last remaining tickets for the festival? 

“This will be a weekend you will remember forever. One of my favourite moments when we were in Leicester last year -because myself and Jeff Smith, the head of music do go out and about in the park and chat to people - was when this one woman said to us ‘I walk my dog in this park every single day and I cannot believe that Radio 2 has brought Kylie Minogue to the park in which I walk my dog’. Just to be there to say you were there in the park where you normally walk your dog or take the kids for a run around and you saw the Pet Shop Boys and their spectacular show with their visuals and goodness knows what else they're going to bring, it's really special.

“You also get the chance to see the whole Radio 2 family together, that just doesn't happen that often. It's like a big, crazy family gathering when all our presenters get together and go out and about, and people will be able to see them. We'll be broadcasting from the site, from a shipping container that's raised up, and people will be able to see our presenters going in and out of the studio and waving and dancing and see them coming onto the stage to introduce the acts. I just think it’s that sort of thing where you go, ‘wow, I was there’.

“But if you can't make it, you can always listen to it on BBC Sounds, listen to it on Radio 2 across the weekend, and watch it on the iPlayer. Our headline set, Sting and the Pet Shop Boys, people will be able to see on BBC Two from 10pm on the Saturday and Sunday night as well. So if you can't be there, you can be there in spirit but if you can be there, come on down, because you're gonna have a great laugh.”