MUMBAI: Veteran BBC Radio Wales presenter Dewi Griffiths announced during his show that he will be retiring by the end of the month. After completing 60 years with BBC, the popular broadcaster will present the final edition of his weekly show ‘A String Of Pearls’ on 28 September. The show has been one of the most popular shows since 1988 on the station. It celebrates music from the golden era of show business.
Griffiths, who was also a former television producer, told his listeners on air, "I want to make a special announcement regarding me, and this programme. At the end of this month I will be riding off into the sunset for the last time - and leaving the BBC after 60 years and 4 months – which means of course, that this programme, A String Of Pearls, will also come to an end."
The 83 year old presenter ended the show by saying, "I must say that I feel very much as I did in early 1954, when I was waiting to leave the RAF and get on with the rest of my life – I am a little bit 'Demob-Happy' – because three weeks(from) today I will be presenting the very last String Of Pearls."
Presenter Roy Noble will move his Sunday morning show an hour earlier to 9.30am from 12 October. The Roy Noble Show will broaden its musical format to include the kind of songs Griffiths has been playing.
Roy Noble commented, "The end of an era, with the String Of Pearls duly put in the safe by Dewi. He, and his programme have been legendary and what a responsibility and privilege it is, to be handed the key to seek out the finest jewels!"
BBC Radio Wales Editor Steve Austins, said, "After 60 years of working for the BBC, Dewi decided that now was the right time for him to step off the stage. His dedication to the programme and his listeners over the years has been exemplary and it has been an honour to work with him."He also said,"Dewi leaves big shoes to fill, but I am convinced there is nobody better than Roy Noble to take up the mantle. Roy’s show will include music familiar to String Of Pearls listeners and we will keep Dewi’s ‘golden-days postbag’ open for business."