Jamie Cullum’s BBC Radio 2 Show – 15th Anniversary Edition

Congratulations to Jamie Cullum and producer Folded Wing. Jamie’s BBC Radio 2 show is 15 years old this week, and tonight (1 April 2025) there is a 15th anniversary edition. Jamie, who has been supportive of UKJN since we started, and Karen Pearson – whose company Folded Wing has produced the show since inception – reflect on the anniversary. (LINK TO 15th ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF THE SHOW)

Jamie Cullum writes:

“This week marks a special anniversary. I’m actually celebrating 15 years of presenting the jazz show on BBC Radio 2. It’s been an incredible journey, not only for me presenting this show, but also the explosion of jazz and jazz appreciation in the last 15 years as well. It’s just been fantastic to be right here presenting during all that time.”

Jamie also underlines the importance of live music to the show:

“Live music has been right at the heart of my show ever since it started 15 years ago, and some of the absolute legends of jazz music have performed live or recorded sessions along with many of the brilliant younger artists from the current UK scene.”

And thinks back to the beginning….

“For my very first show on the 6th of April, 2010, I wanted a live session from the BBC’s Maida Vale studios that really shined a light on the current music scene at the time…. a band that was really bringing British jazz into the 21st century. And there was one band who was really, really doing that at that time, kind of paving the way for what we have now. Really very very much so coming at it with the love of jazz, but also a modern kind of indie rock sensibility. It felt young. It felt very fresh…Polar Bear!”

Back in April 2010, UK Jazz News (in the distant days when it was my LondonJazz blog) carried a news story:

“Jamie Cullum’s BBC Radio 2 show kicks off at 7 pm tonight with an interview with Ramsey Lewis and live set from Polar Bear. The aim is to show the breadth and range of jazz. I like it – a very good starting-point indeed!”

Karen Pearson writes :

“This show and working on it alongside Jamie is the thing I’m the most proudest of.
15 years what!!! It really doesn’t feel anywhere near that!
 
The show is built on a proper genuine passion and love of jazz and everything connected to it but more than anything it’s build on friendship and mutual respect. 
Not a minute goes by that the Folded Wing team or Jamie take for granted what responsibility they have for jazz or for radio 2. 
 
But more than that…

Jamie cared as much as me about launching a whole new jazz show & understood the responsibility..  hours and hours were spent in our studio sometimes in our sweaty voice booth where he would be so patient. Some things asking him to retake until I was happy! Same when we got ready for doing the show live. Hours of practice to get it right & Jamie smashes it each & every week. Taking the show with him wherever he goes in his busy life. The care for music & how he prepares & cares about each interview he does is testament to what a fantastic broadcaster he has become. I’m so proud to be working with him and the friendship and mutual respect continues to grow.
 
We both went on a journey & a few thank you’s along the way..
 
Lorna Clarke for commissioning our crazy idea of putting Jamie & Soil & Pimp sessions from Japan together for the Electric Proms in 2007 which lead to us working with Jamie for the first time.
 
Mark Kimura who believed in the project & brought it to Japan in 2008, my first trip there!
 
Then in 2009 will never forget the call when Jamie called me & asked me & Folded Wing to produce his show for radio 2,  what a dream!!! The BBC wanted to do in house but we worked on a pilot together to show them we meant business!
 
Thanks to Bob Shennan and Lewis Carnie for commissioning something very new and groundbreaking for 7pm on a Tues night. The dream. For trusting in us, taking a risk and leaving us to do what they knew we could do.
To the team at radio 2 who then supported us to deliver every week.

Julian Grundy, Robert Gallacher, Al Booth, Jeff Smith & current day Helen Thomas & Laura Busson.
 
Then to Jamie’s team who have always supported us and going above & beyond..
Marc, Gary, Sian, Jonny, Sheila Rachel and Jenny
 
To Ian Parkinson and Micky Curling who understood my vision right from the start and would be patient with me as I pushed them to make the show shine. I know I was annoying sometimes!
 
The whole of the Folded Wing team past & present who always went above & beyond to make sure the show was always pushing & to keep winning awards!!
 
Here’s to the next 15 years! We start this year with Ezra Collective winning a Brit award, Jazz especially in the UK could not be in a better place!!!” (quote ends)