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WISH 2 WERE HERE!

BBC Radio 2 listeners frustrated as £1.5m of top talent including Zoe Ball and Jeremy Vine are on holiday

RADIO 2 fans have been left feeling cheated after most of the station’s star presenters booked off the same week.

Six of the Beeb’s biggest radio names — Zoe Ball, 48, Ken Bruce, 68, Jeremy Vine, 54, Steve Wright, 64, Sara Cox, 44, and Trevor Nelson, 55 — have all been on holiday.

 Zoe Ball has hosted the Radio 2 breakfast show since January
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Zoe Ball has hosted the Radio 2 breakfast show since JanuaryCredit: Nick Obank - The Sun

It means that, with their BBC salaries combined, more than £1.5million of talent has been off air at the same time.

The rash of absences has left stand-ins holding the fort this week.

Deputies include former Strictly winner Ore Oduba, 33, Gary Davies, 61, and Fearne Cotton, 37.

Others to step in are BBC media editor Amol Rajan, 35, and 57-year-old Vanessa Feltz, who usually hosts an early morning Radio 2 show but has moved in the schedule to cover Sara.

 Jeremy Vine has been missed by fans while on holiday
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Jeremy Vine has been missed by fans while on holidayCredit: BBC
 Trevor Nelson also booked the same week off
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Trevor Nelson also booked the same week offCredit: Redferns - Getty

Steve was missing on Tuesday when his show was hosted by O J Borg, 40, but was back the next day.

One listener told The Sun: “Could they not have staggered their holiday a bit so they’re not all off at once?

 Sara Cox has been covered by Vanessa Feltz while taking time off
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Sara Cox has been covered by Vanessa Feltz while taking time offCredit: PA:Press Association

“Radio 2 bills itself as the music played by ‘an amazing line-up’ — but this is definitely the B team.

“It might be half-term but there’s 52 weeks in a year, so it’s surprising bosses have just let them all take the same week.”

A BBC spokeswoman said: “When show presenters are on holiday their programmes are presented by a range of brilliant Radio 2 talent.”

 Another favourite with listeners, Ken Bruce, has been noticeably missing
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Another favourite with listeners, Ken Bruce, has been noticeably missingCredit: Handout
 Steve Wright was only missing from his usual slot for one day
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Steve Wright was only missing from his usual slot for one dayCredit: PA:Press Association
Zoe Ball says 'she hasn't slept' because she was so excited about hosting her first BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show


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