BBC Radio 2 issues apology after blunder leaves listeners concerned for host Elaine Paige

BBC Radio 2 issued an apology following a blunder which left fans both concerned and puzzled.

During Sunday's Elaine Paige show, a scheduling error led to the station broadcasting the incorrect second half of her pre-recorded segment, and when loyal fans recognised it as last week's show, they quickly became worried.

It appears as though the wrong audio was used in the system prior to the broadcast going live, with a repeat of the previous show confusing listeners.

Elaine Paige on Sunday airs weekly from 1pm to 3pm, and has been on air since 2004.

After noticing the repeated broadcast, many were left concerned the for 78-year-old singer and actress, believing she may have suddenly needed to leave or end the show, not realising the episode hadn't been live.

Taking to X, one worried listener wrote: "Fingers crossed it’s an innocent explanation and she's ok."

Another added: "The first hour was new today, then suddenly hour 2 was a repeat, from Goatherd onwards. Hopefully nothing serious has happened."

"I have just emailed to ask. Very concerned think something bad has happened. She perhaps has had to leave," a third added.

Others complained about the bizarre repetition from only a week prior, with one asking: "Why is this hour of Elaine Paige on Sunday identical to last week’s show?!

"Very bizarre to repeat it just a week later."

"Nothing on her site, and no announcement from the Beeb. Very strange," another X user commented.

Pointing out that it hadn't been the first broadcasting mistake, one more posted: "We just thought the same.

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"This also happened last year. They replayed the same episode 2 weeks in a row."

Fortunately, it seems the repeated episode had simply been a mishap, with a BBC spokesperson confirming the blunder.

They told RadioToday: "Unfortunately, due to a scheduling error, the incorrect second hour of the show was broadcast today.

"We apologise to listeners and are currently looking into how this occurred."

Informing listeners on where they could catch the rest of the unaired episode, they concluded: "The correct programme is now available on BBC Sounds."

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