Bob Harris returns to BBC Radio 2 Country Show

Bob Harris will be back on BBC Radio 2 to host his country show from September 19th 2019.

He announced in June that he’d be taking a few weeks off to recover from an aortic dissection, and a number of people have been covering the show ever since.

In his first show back, he will be joined in session by guitarist and singer Molly Tuttle, who Bob hails as “one of the greatest performers in the world at this moment.”

Bob Harris said: “I am so happy to be returning to Radio 2. Following my aortic dissection at the beginning of the summer the past few months have been amongst the toughest of my life, but I am now fit again and raring to go.

“Thank you with all my heart to the thousands of people who have sent me messages of love and support. Your good wishes have been an essential part of my recovery.

“Thank you to Kristian Bush, Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town, Trisha Yearwood, Lady Antebellum, Paul Sexton and especially to Ben Earle for doing such a fantastic job sitting in for me and thank you to Radio 2 and my producer Mark Hagen for keeping the door open for my return”.

Ben Earle – one-half of The Shires, concludes his run of programmes standing in for Bob Harris on the 22nd and 29th August. Lady Antebellum present the programme direct from Nashville on 5th September, and the show will come direct from the BBC Introducing stage at the Long Road Festival in Leicestershire with Paul Sexton introducing an hour of live music from emerging artists in the country on the 12th September.

Bob’s return will be in the middle of a new country music season at the BBC which sees Dolly Parton star in Dolly’s Country (working title) on BBC Two. On BBC Four, an eight-part series by Ken Burns called Country Music will air whilst highlights from the Country Music Association Awards 2019 will also be broadcast.

Also returning to Radio 2 is Brad Paisley with a four-part series, as he performs in the UK this October. Brad Paisley : This Is Country Music, will air on September 21, plus October 5th, 12th and 19th from 9pm till 10pm, made by TBI Media.

Brad Paisley said: “The first series for Radio 2 was a blast. It’s great to get the chance to talk about the music I‘ve grown up with, as well as the best new material coming out of Nashville and beyond. I can’t wait to get back on air on with series two.”

And Patrick Kielty will be in Nashville bringing highlights to Radio 2 listeners from the annual Country Music Association awards Nashville in November.