Presenter said goodbye to ‘great companion’ adding ‘I shall miss her’
12:18, 27 Jun 2026Updated 12:23, 27 Jun 2026
It is the end of an era(Image: Getty)
A BBC Radio 4 presenter said ‘it’s the end of an era’ as the BBC closed one of its long-running channels. Al Ryan said, “I shall miss her warmth and crackle” as he signed off on the service, which has been in operation for almost 100 years.
The BBC long wave service is being closed as the corporation says the technology is “coming to the end of its life”. Radio 4, which was the last long-wave radio station in the UK, had its service permanently switched off at 1am on Saturday.
Long wave services have been used since 1934 and were used to transmit messages during the Second World War. Radio 4 moved to the frequency in 1978, where it has remained until now. It was the home of The Archers radio drama, Desert Island Discs and also the shipping forecast, which previously served communities across the UK.
Signing off the final shipping forecast, Al said: “Before we leave you tonight, I just wanted to take a moment to mark the end of an era. For almost a century, the long wave transmitters have carried the BBC across the airwaves, from the iconic Droitwich transmitting station in Worcestershire to Westerglen in Falkirk in Scotland.
“Although the long-wave signal is fading into history this morning, the memories and connections it created will endure forever. We shall miss your warmth and crackle.
“Well that’s it from me, Al Ryan, and all of us here at Broadcasting House. If you have been, thanks for listening. Have a safe, quiet and peaceful night. Goodnight.”
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The BBC first announced in 2022 that it expected its long-wave services to close, and in 2024, it ended the separate scheduling of Radio 4 long-wave ahead of the change. The corporation said the service has been shut down as long-wave technology is “coming to the end of its life”, and its continued use would be a “significant investment” for a platform used by a small proportion of listeners.
The BBC also said it is focused on “investing in platforms that best serve audiences and provide resilient coverage for the future” amid the significant rise of digital listening. In a statement, the corporation added: “We also work closely with organisations that support vulnerable audiences around platform closures, to ensure listeners are helped in a timely and sensitive way.”
The radio station will continue to be available across other platforms such as FM, DAB, television platforms and on digital services. The BBC has also confirmed that no Radio 4 programmes will be lost as a result of the closure.
Long-wave radio is frequently used by those in remote and rural communities, as well as mariners and fishermen. Prior to its closure, campaigners actively fought against the decision by citing the importance of the platform as a non-digital national communication network.