BBC Radio 2 announces plans for musical celebrations across March and April

BBC Radio 2 has announced its spring schedule, featuring new programmes and specials.

As exclusively revealed by WhatsOnStage, there will be a concert at the London Palladium on 25 April to mark Elaine Paige’s career, featuring performances from a number of major West End names. Paige will also be in conversation with Zoe Ball for a special programme covering her life and career, with exclusive stories behind some of her most well-known numbers.

Jeremy Vine will present The Heat is On in Saigon, exploring the legacy of the Vietnam War through the music of the era and the musical Miss Saigon. The programme includes insights from historians and contributions from Lea Salonga, Jon Jon Briones, Claude-Michel Schönberg, and Alain Boublil.

Michelle Visage will present The Musicals That Changed My Life, a reflection on her love of musical theatre, tracing her journey from childhood influences to her performances in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and The Addams Family. The programme includes her personal stories and reflections on figures such as Liza Minnelli, Julie Andrews, and Stephen Sondheim.

Big Night of Musicals will return for its fourth year, airing on 27 April. Recorded at Manchester AO Arena, the event will be hosted by Jason Manford and feature performances from Calamity Jane, Dear Evan Hansen, Here and Now – The Steps Musical, Mean Girls, and Hercules. The show will include backstage interviews with performers and insights from the West End. A March televised broadcast date will be revealed in due course.