BBC presenter Ray Clark quits Radio Essex after claiming he’d been treated ‘cruelly’ by bosses who ‘kept him in the dark’ for a year about the future of his show – after Sophie Little blasted ‘ageist’ local radio cuts in last episode of cancelled programme
- Ray Clark posted on Twitter to say after a year of uncertainty he has had enough
BBC presenter Ray Clark has quit Radio Essex after claiming he was treated ‘cruelly’ by bosses who kept him in the dark for a year about the future of his show.
It comes after fellow BBC presenter Sophie Little blasted ‘ageist’ local radio cuts in the final episode of her cancelled show, Treasure Quest.
Mr Clark shared the news on X, formerly known as Twitter, claiming that after a year of uncertainty he has had enough.
‘I heard a year ago that changes would affect my BBC shows. Since, final dates have been moved and been changed with little notice,’ he wrote.
‘Still with no certainty about final dates, I am taking control. I will present my last show on 8th Oct I will still be on Caroline. Be Happy Ray x.’
BBC presenter Ray Clark (pictured) has quit Radio Essex after claiming he was treated ‘cruelly’ by bosses who kept him in the dark for a year about the future of his show
Mr Clark shared the news on X, formerly known as Twitter, claiming that after a year of uncertainty he has had enough
Mr Clark explained that he would still be a presenter on Radio Caroline, which was originally an ‘offshore pirate radio station’.
He made another post on X later on, which read: ‘Just to clarify, no, of course I don’t want to give up a successful & popular regional #BBC show, but to be told ”you finish in January, no March, no June, no perhaps October” is cruel and unfair.
‘So, I’ve decided I’ll finish 8th October. Thank you for listening. See you on Caroline.’
The news comes after BBC presenter Ms Little tore into the corporation for two minutes during the final airing of Treasure Quest – where listeners solve clues to help presenters locate treasure – branding it ‘ageist and ableist’.
The Radio Norfolk regular told fans: ‘Local radio is a vital public service. And it is my opinion that these drastic, sweeping cuts that are taking place to BBC local radio stations all across the country are not only detrimental to anyone that enjoys switching on their local station and hearing their favourite shows [but also] detrimental to the local communities who value and use it.
Mr Clark made another post on X later on which read: ‘Just to clarify, no, of course I don’t want to give up a successful & popular regional #BBC show’
Sophie Little (pictured) blasted ‘ageist’ local radio cuts in the final episode of her cancelled show, Treasure Quest
‘Actually, these cuts are unbelievable unfair to those who need local public service broadcasting the most – those who are lonely and isolated, or those who are unable to leave their house, or unable to use the internet, or unable to pay for broadband.
‘Those who not only take comfort from the company of a familiar voice coming out of their radio but who truly rely on it to keep going.’
She added: ‘The BBC’s mission, as defined by Royal Charter, is to act in the public interest, serving all audiences… but I will say this how I see it – I feel the cuts are ableist, ageist and they place economic barriers for some people too.’
Ms Little said she was nervous to be publicly holding her employer to account given the ‘many bosses above my head’ but insisted: ‘I remind myself that this is not their BBC. It is our BBC.’
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