Vernon Kay’s BBC Radio 2 show was temporarily paused on Tuesday morning as he shared the tragic news of the unexpected death of his colleague, Ian Deeley. The 45-year-old station manager, who was beloved by his colleagues, passed away suddenly, with the cause of death yet to be confirmed.
After playing a track, Vernon addressed the loss, saying, “As you can imagine at Radio 2, it’s not just the names in the Radio Times who do all the work. We do very little, we just talk when we put up the fader. It’s the massive team behind Radio 2 that make this network so successful.” He continued, “The BBC family were devastated to hear that our brilliant studio manager, Ian Deeley, had died unexpectedly but peacefully at the age of 45.”
Vernon went on to describe Ian as someone who had a deep passion for radio, stating that he loved his work “with every fibre of his being.” Ian’s career at the BBC spanned across numerous stations, with him working on a wide range of iconic broadcasts. “Even though he was a relatively young chap, Ian had a long and illustrious career,” Vernon explained. “His time at the BBC started with news shifts followed by production work and more recently, Ian was working with our colleagues on the outside broadcast team, or ‘the Broadside Outcasts’ as he jokingly called them.”
Ian’s contributions to the BBC included his involvement in major events such as pop festivals, the BBC Proms, and royal events. Vernon shared that one of Ian’s standout moments was ensuring the smooth running of the BBC’s D-Day 80th anniversary celebrations in Normandy. “Ian was our lead engineer on our D-Day celebrations, and he was so dedicated that he went on a reconnaissance trip over to France in his own time, just to make sure everything was up to his incredible high standard.”
Vernon also reflected on Ian’s close working relationship with former Radio 2 host Steve Wright, noting that Ian was thrilled to work on such a major show. “Steve always said, ‘Ian, keep it cranked,’ and he did,” said Vernon. “He loved working with us here at Radio 2, and one of his career highlights was working with our friend, Steve Wright.”
As an engineer, Ian was widely regarded as one of the best in his field, but Vernon also paid tribute to Ian as a person, describing him as “an exuberant, larger-than-life character who was always enthusiastic and brought a smile to everyone’s faces.” “We will miss Ian’s quick wit,” Vernon added, expressing heartfelt condolences to Ian’s family. “We offer our sincere condolences to his mum Di, his brother Neal, and his partner Lucy.”
Later in the show, Vernon thanked his listeners for their kind words of condolence, acknowledging the profound loss that Ian’s death has brought to the Radio 2 family. The outpouring of support from colleagues and fans is a testament to the deep affection Ian was held in by those who worked with him.
