One of the UK’s best-loved radio presenters, Jimmy Young, was knighted by the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace on Thursday after being named in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list for services to broadcasting.
Sir Jimmy said after the ceremony, which he attended with his wife Alicia, daughter Leslie and cousin Anne, that the knighthood was “an honour for the programme”. He also joked that the award would leave fellow Radio 2 veteran Terry Wogan green with envy. “I don’t think I will wear it to work,” he said. “Wogan will get terribly upset.”
Born Leslie Ronald Young, the broadcaster, who gives his age as 78, has been on the air for over 50 years and, as a singer in the Fifties, boasted three number-one hits – Too Young, The Man From Laramie and Unchained Melody. The latter was recently covered by Pop Idol runner-up Gareth Gates.
Known by many of his listeners simply as JY, Sir Jimmy has built up an impressive and loyal audience and is often named the “housewives’ choice”. He will be stepping down from his BBC Radio 2 lunchtime show at the end of 2002 after 26 years.
