Carl Chinn ends on BBC WM

Radio’s great. It’s also sad. The relationship so carefully built between listener and presenter is always to be broken at some stage. Either because management wants a change; or a presenter chooses to leave. Some decisions on line-up changes are wrong; and some are right; but to the listener who enjoyed the show about to end, it’s always very, very wrong.

It’s tough as a presenter when one is moved on; and it’s pretty tough too as a manager, trying to explain and manage the inevitable fallout. That passion, though, is a surely a huge burst of evidence of the power of radio.

Sometimes one is allowed to say farewell; sometimes one is not given the chance. With social media now, though, it’s almost impossible for a tacit farewell. Some presenters on-air carry on as normal; some do their best ever shows; and some hurl abuse. Others get very, very emotional; as do their listeners.

Witness here, after 19 years, the choked-up end of Carl Chinn’s time on BBC WM.