DJ Tony Blackburn has stepped down from his local radio show.

The veteran broadcaster presented his last Sunday afternoon show on BBC Radio Oxford, BBC Radio Berkshire, and BBC Radio Solent yesterday (March 24).

He told listeners his years on BBC local stations, which began in 1981, it had been a pleasure.

Asked what has kept him in the role for so long, Blackburn pointed to his enthusiasm for radio and “a deep love of music”.

Mr Blackburn was presented with his OBE medal for his services to broadcasting and charity by the Princess Royal at Windsor Castle last Wednesday, March 20. 

Blackburn became the first DJ on BBC Radio 1 when it launched in 1967 and went on to present a series of high-profile radio and TV shows, including Top Of The Pops.

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He also won the first series of I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! in 2002.

Mr Blackburn said working on pirate radio stations including Radio Caroline in the 1960s was a real highlight of his career, and that the secret to a good radio show is having fun and playing the right music.

He said streaming services such as BBC Sounds are the future of radio because listeners are “not tied down to a particular time”, while he admitted he wants to be at BBC Radio 2 when he does eventually decide to retire.

“People are restricted, they have to play the same records, the dreaded playlist, the same 300 records over and over again.

“I spend a lot of time compiling mine, and I don’t have to sit through a song I don’t believe that the listener wants to hear and a lot of DJs do, so I’m in a quite a privileged position," he said.

He will now concentrate on his BBC Radio 2 shows and theatre tour.