On Radio 3, Sean Rafferty bows out early
NewsThe long-serving drivetime presenter has told listeners that this will be his last week, and Friday his final show. Sean Rafferty has been moving traffic on the classical channel since 1997. He made no secret of his unhappiness with the decision to move him to other duties and has now brought forward the date of his departure by just over three months.
Radio 3 said last night: ‘We had originally intended for Sean to remain on the programme until next April, however, he has made the decision to present his final edition this coming Friday 6th December. In the meantime, we very much hope that Sean will continue to broadcast on BBC Radio 3 next year.
‘Katie Derham remains central to the programme and will present the majority of weeks from early January to the end of March. Other weeks will be hosted by Ian Skelly, Sara Mohr-Pietsch, Martin Handley and Sarah Walker.’
Massive loss. He is one of the few presenters on Radio 3 I delight in listening to (there are others – including the estimable Donald and Ian). KD is a very poor substitute, for me.
A massive loss indeed. The newish head of Radio 3 has made a stupid mistake and has treated SR abysmally…I don’t blame his leaving early.
….another stupid mistake..
Agreed. Glad that at his age Sean can leave earlier with his dignity intact.
Stupid to let a gem like Sean go
I and others listen to him in the US
Obviously a sophomoric effort by a new boss to assert himself
KD has no idea what she is talking about and simpers st guests, Sean is a national treasure as is Donald, so well informed and humble, always serving the musicians.
Totally agreed. Sean shows intelligence, humour and humanity, where KD just giggles through. Losing (getting rid of?) one of Radio 3’s best assets makes no sense at all and is in line with other cases of presenters being dropped because of age, without performance and popularity assessments.
All those decades of experience and knowledge. Execs should bending over to accommodate people this like.
THey’ve dicked around with moving record review on a Saturday morning which ought rightly to be met with street protests!
What about dropping J to X completely ?! Travesty
Agree. KD has such a sense of unease about her; that’s why she is giggling and twitching to hide it.
It is a loss. Only a few now left who seem to care about the music rather than just reading a script with an upward inflection. There are some, but KD is not one of them.
I switch it off when she is on. I’m devastated. Very similar to when we lost Rob Cowan
Agree with you completely… huge mistake
totally agree I am in tears at Sean’s departure.
Completely agree he and Hannah French are solid gold. KD is trivial, predictable, without authority. I will not be listening anymore its very sad. Sean and Johnny Walker all before Christmas. Glad he went at a time of his own choosing, but he leaves radio impoverished.
Claire, Salisbury
Radio 3 is in a terrible state. It’s a shadow of its former self and it’s not clear anyone there realises this.
They don’t realise, because the listening figures (apparently) say otherwise. So they think they’re getting it right. What’s lacking is any agreement (“clarity” as we say these days) about what “it” is.
I hardly listen to this slightly upmarket version of Classic Fm anymore.
Totally agree. Over 5 decades I have learned so much from Radio 3 but now I can hardly bear to listen, it’s classic fm with trails rather than adverts for walk in showers and waitrose
I too switch off R3 now due to advertising
ad nauseam its coming programmes repeatedly and scripts saying “coming up…..but first we have…”.
They don’t care sadly
Flattery is a sad loss. Always good to listen to and an affable prolocutor during those dreary first night intervals at the Garden, during which critics run away from each other or exchange barbed witticisms. Plus, unlike Derham at all the guy actually knows more about music than he reads from his autocue.
Flattery???
He never knows what day it is, or the correct time. So, perhaps BBC Management placed a daffodil on his desk, and he thought he’d already reached the end of March and announced his final week?
What a shame. He has such a good presenting style, unlike some of the presenters that will be left, at least 2 of which I can’t bear to listen to.
Name names please.
Otherwise it’s like saying I like red more than at least two other colours. Pretty meaningless.
Names, then: Georgia Mann (always sounds soooo breathily bored with it/us all – and sooo interested in herself and what she thinks); Katie Derham (endlessly grinning and thinks she is witty); Elizabeth Alker (banal); Jess Gillam (even more banal); Clive Myrie (knows nowt about music but gets a massive salary); Tom Mckinney (clueless); Linton Stephens (don’t start me…) I turn off when any of these people come on. They all sound as they are trying to be one’s best friend – pass the sick bag, Alice…
Fully agree.
Radio 3 goes progressively downhill.
Dumbing down down down.
Constant pressure by listeners attempting to squeeze in pop music.
Pity that Ian Shelly has such a limited input now.
Alas alas alas.
Georgia Mann is impossible, ghastly – just an endless gabbing machine. Mind you, I also blame the clowns who decided the format of the programme. I can rarely tolerate the programme, though even in Ian Skelly’s day I could sometimes survive an episode without switching off. Not now. I’m grateful for BBC Sounds, and a flight to an old Composer of the Week or The Early Music Show.
Tom McKinney did a well informed, impressively insightful survey of Le Marteau Sans Maître on Record Review. He’s also a first rate guitarist. Far from clueless.
I didn’t want to be rude, but I find Katie Derham and Sara Walker very irritating, since you ask.
And that moron on the mid morning slot – what’s her name Georgia Mann – uck!
No, not Sarah Walker. I like her modest, understated, kindly persona. Katie Derham’s giggling fussiness irritates me.
Katie Derham gives the impression she doesn’t particularly like classical music and would much prefer something more middle-brow; she certainly doesn’t want to listen to anything more challenging than Mozart. At least Sean seems to like classical music.
He has ruined so many interviews over the years that I tend to switch off when he is presenting. So it’s good news to read that he is leaving earlier.
Really !!!!
He has such empathy with the musicians and seems to really enjoy what he does.
Ridiculous
Every interviewee is the greatest musician ever, he slobbers all over them, gently nuzzling every part he can get to… I won’t be sad that he is going.
Indeed; in fact I came here to post something similar. He’s been getting on my wick for 20 years and I rarely listen to the drive time show if he’s presenting. I’m astonished how many people seem to think he’s some sort of Attenborough-esque national treasure. R3 has many problematic issues, but moving SR on is not one of them.
I couldn’t agree more. Sean Rafferty has an awful style which patronises the listener. What with him and the fawning Katie Derham it’s no wonder that In Tune is such an unbearable programme. We can only hope that the excellent Petroc Trelawney will raise the standard when he arrives, though, of course, he’s starting with the bar set very low,
I totally agree. He too often seems to consider himself more interesting than the many talented guests he has on, and his preciousness really grates with me. Mind you, I can’t bear Derhams vocal gurning and forced uncontrollable guffaw.
Ian Skelly is, to my mind, the perfect presenter – witty, knowledgeable and disarming affable.
Agree! Ian Skelly is brilliant!
Sean Rafferty is OK but found him a bit irritating. Katie Derhams laughter is irritating at best.
Radio 3 is on the decline. Now trying to ape Classic FM. Even putting in easy listening and film music.
Indeed..example Friday Night is Music Night…I don’t think…Petroc damaged by his apparent enthusiasm for such drivel…back to The Light Programme,of many decades ago…Fire the New Director!
I’m not a Skelly fan, though I suppose (damning with faint praise) he’s fairly harmless. He’s Alan Partridge made flesh, with a little music.
Ian Skelly is brilliant – my favourite presenter. I’d take him to a desert island for my luxury !
Do, please. One way ticket.
Sean Rafferty is brilliant. Evening Radio 3 will never be the same.
Lefty management of the BBC have steadily been destroying everything that made the broadcaster great over the last decade or two. It’s what leftist revolutionaries do. What their criteria for sacrificing someone as delightful and expert as Mr Rafferty on their altar of ideology are, God only knows. I just pray we can find him on a better channel very, very soon.
Lefty? Name one.
Can’t stop laughing! You’ve torn yourself away from GBeebies to fire its political clichés at R3. Lefty management…? Give it a rest.
What ‘other duties’ had R3 lined up for him, do we know?
Katie Derham is unlistenable.
I much prefer Katie Dereham. Sean spends all his time flirting endlessly with every female guest. Particularly Joyce de Donato who he moons over.
I don’t blame him.
Innumerable times I have waited to hear KD tell us who was performing, only to get some faux jokey drivel and the performer’s name swallowed pianissimo accelerando. No sense of phrasing and articulation and she pretends to be musical!
I was worried I was being sexist in my disaste for her. Now I see lots of people are of a similar view.
All part of the BBC dumbing down! Radio 3 is a travesty of what it once was!
Absolutely – Sam Jackson are you listening?
Listening to anyone who makes it sound effortless is a great art. Sean is amongst a handful of broadcasters who achieve this.
I agree with some of the comments regarding the direction of Radio 3 – Friday Night is Music Night being a particular nightmare for me – but I won’t miss Sean R. I found him almost impossible to listen to. His elocution is poor, he swallows words and fails to emphasise or repeat important information – eliding his speech to often leave me baffled. I am not talking about accents, many Radio 3 presenters have different accents but speak clearly and realise that we are listening only, so names and titles need to be spoken clearly and more than once if possible. SR seems to forget in conversations with guests that he has an audience. Katie Derham would be a poor replacement as she does not seem to be engaged in the music but I look forward to hearing the others.
He and Katie Derham encapsulate everything that’s wrong with R3. Insufferably smug, verbose, and actually rude in Rafferty’s case, eg he never bothers to thank the previous presenter or announcer — a simple courtesy most other people manage — and when he’s presenting concerts he rarely allows the applause to linger before breaking in with some fatuous announcement or comment. But the main problem is that if you don’t like either of those two, well, too bad, they’re much more important than you, the listener are.
Very very sad that Sean is leaving. All the musicians I’ve worked with have loved being on the show and found him a warm and interested interviewer. The only good thing to come out of this is mention of Martin Handley whose Sunday morning show is sorely missed.
I so agree about Martin.
Martin Handley? You’re right. He’s one I miss.
Sean Rafferty’s programme often gets criticised for unjustified reasons – that it doesn’t play entire works. But it is unashamably a magazine programme that has done very well simply because Rafferty almost always has a rapport with and genuine interest in his guests. Just occasionally that rapport doesn’t happen and it is a car crash!
If the slot is to be continued the BBC will need to find someone with the same qualities. Katie Durham has had plenty of opportunity to prove she isn’t the one, the conversations are more about her (I am sure I am not the only one irritated when she answers her own questions before letting the musician get a chance). Sarah Walker does OK in her slightly more academic way, and I think I have heard Ian Skelly substitute quite effectively at the last minute but probably in a too low key way for the producers.
Awful news. He is superb at what he does. Don’t understand why he was being moved at all !!
As much as I quite like KD as a presenter, her voice doesn’t always come across very well on radio as there is too much variation in both pitch and amplitude, requiring lots of compensation with volume control and “what did she say??” moments. Also, she can sound a bit forced in live conversation with musicians. Anyway, Sean doesn’t have any of those problems in my opinion and will be a huge loss. However, don’t despair classical fans! Jools Holland has now entered the fray (Saints, preserve us.)
Is it an age thing? I’m 59 and find him irritating – all that ‘it’s ten minutes to the hour of seven o’clock…’ guff.
Even worse – ‘It’s ten minutes to the hour of seven o’clock on this chill Friday evening’. They all do it. Drives me wild.
Not an age thing! I’m 80 and have never liked him as a presenter from his first broadcast on the evening show. Even once a month was too often.
Yet another rubbish decision by the BBC. Why “move” someone to “other duties” (whatever that means) when they are so popular. We already hear way too much of Katie Derham and Sarah Walker. Sean is just so much more interesting to listen to particularly when hosting guests in the studio. He knows exactly what to say and when/how to say it. Shame…..
Can’t say that I’m sorry, he talks far too quickly while his mumbling can be very irritating. However I wouldn’t have chosen KD either. R3 have a bit of a problem with 5-7pm. All seems muddled to me.
Heartbreaking to loose Séan.. The most pleasing, warm, funny, knowledgeable man on the airwaves. Always gets the very best from his interviewees, who always seem to love him. Please find him a new niche, there must be one.
He has a beautiful voice and a serene manner that is worthy of Bach. He is a true provo from the auld country. Irreplaceable, BBC shoots itself in the foot again. Love and best wishes for the future for Sean.
Katie Derham is a terrible presenter. She seems to know very little about classical music beyond the very mainstream. I’m surprised they brought Martin Handley back, after they effectively fired him for not moving from Sussex to Salford. Also amazed they keep Dr Sarah Walker on. She lives in Surrey and is probably the most knowledgeable presenter they have.
Sarah Walker is a good Sunday morning presenter, but hopeless when she does InTune. She is so boring, can’t inject the evening joie de vivre like a certain Mr Rafferty.
As for the rest of the djs – radio 3 wants DJ as personality above the music. Bunch of tossers!
I shall miss Sean and wish him well. Ok, he does occasionally stumble, but that’s why I’ve found him so endearing.
Tragic that the hierarchy are obsessed with nos of listeners than the erudition of the presenters
I don’t think the station line up is quite as good as it was in 2010-13 when I listened more. They seem to follow trends and fads more now, not presenters who stick around for a decade. Sean has been a terrific presenter and I particularly enjoyed the guests over the years.Good luck sir.
“The time is twelve minutes to the hour.”
WHAT *%#@ING HOUR, Sean?!!
He doesn’t know the hour – he’s only capable of concentrating on one hand of the clock at a time. That’s also why he gabbles, swallows, fluffs most names – to prevent them being audibly wrong.
If you tune in to InTune to find out what time it is, get a watch, Peter!
Great shame, Sean is the best DJ on R3 by far. While new R3 strategies emphasise the DJ above the music content, Sean rises way above all with his unselfish enthusiasm. I, for one, will miss him very much.
At least we have Soweto Kinch to champion the music
This is a travesty – again by the ignorant and uninformed R3 team who don’t want to try to understand what R3 is about.
It’s certainly not about silly presenters who need to learn their craft of the common denominator type (ie Ms Derham), but presenters like Sean are gold dust in the dwindling destruction of the channel in favour of common presenters who don’t know what they’re presenting.
This is typical BBC radio 3 getting naffer and naffer to reach an imaginary younger audience by pampering to the masses.
The same thing happened to that engaging Brian Kay who was popular, musically educated, lively and engaging, and remember, at the height of his presenting the hapless BBC radio 2 and 3 gave him the chop.
Perhaps Mr Jackson should have a go behind the microphone for a week and see how he gets on interviewing musicians.
Spot on Bored Muso ! I wish they’d tell Sam Jackson he has failed the probationary period
He will be much missed so knowledgeable, his voice is part of our lives Monday to Friday .The programme is not going to be the same without him. A consumate professional .The BBC has made a big mistake again … .
Very sad news – Sean IS early evening listening on Radio3, no-one can replace him, his generosity of spirit, unassuming knowledge and good humour. A father figure for many of us over nearly 30 years. I can’t believe R3 is so out of touch and, basically, cruel…
Sean Rafferty is a wonderful presenter. Eloquent, super knowledgeable, with a special way of interviewing. I had the privilege of being in his In Tune programmes many times over the course of 25 years.
I wish him all the best!
Once again the BBC has made it clear to all listeners that it has lost its way in providing top quality classical music programmes and intelligent discussion programmes. Sean is a national treasure in the way he chats to guests and links the programme for us listeners…….another programme ‘down the drain’ for me at any rate. I shall no longer listen.
Totally agree with Philip and all those lamenting Sean’s departure. But what a fantastic final programme that was last night…an incredible party which should demonstrate to the BBC how very much loved he is by all those who were there and had been over all his years in the driving seat (pun intended!). I sincerely hope those who made this decision to ditch him are squirming in embarrassment. Agree with so many other contributors that In Tune will never be the same. Change is all very well but only if it is for the BETTER! Given the likelihood of KD, Petroc etc this is clearly not going to be the case. I hope his final programme with so many affectionate friends taking part, will send him on his way with a very warm feeling that sustains him for a very long time! Good luck Sean and BOO to the BEEB!
Very sad news! Always enjoyed his presenting, knowledge of music and his humour making his guests feel comfortable clearly. Another great loss to Radio 3. .
I’m really sad about this. The rot started when an overworked Rob Cowan left..I loved Sean’s programme with it’s lively discussions, interviews and l lots of live music. So knowledgeable and unstuffy. KD etc will mean I avoid this slot now.
I loved Rob Cowan and I think he was another one treated badly
I think SR has a genuinely human touch, there aren’t many like him, the decision to move him was obviously absurd, there simply aren’t replacements, typically thick British management in action there; presumably they see KD’s jolly hockey sticks style as a sign of energy or something.
Such a sad loss. SR a peerless host. Urbane, informed and warm. He will be irreplaceable. He managed to combined a musical inclusivity with reverence for truly great works. I fear where R 3 is going without him as an aesthetic and stylistic reference point.
I fear where Radio 3 is going full stop!
Interesting to see the split here between “terrible news, he’s the best” and “he’s not great, about time”. You can’t please all the people all the time.
I don’t think many of the standard critiques of the station are fair but there is also a lot of truth in others.
The balance between magazine show, short pieces and partial works (In Tune, Breakfast etc) and longer form is not that bad, though you could look at the morning Essential Classics slot as a target here.
The non-classical aspects: some are what R3 does best and arguably most fulfills its public service remit, as you don’t find some of that elsewhere so much (some of the jazz and crossover things – Late Junction in the days of Sharp and Talkington was foundational for my own musical youth). The new digital “Unwind”, however – I won’t be touching that.
As for presenters, there are extremes and it is very much about matching horses for courses. I found Sean Rafferty convivial, but in a way someone might be at the end of a party (seriously, sometimes comes across as tipsy); KD a wittering mess. But Petroc, a little self-centred, is exellent at the lightness of touch required for a link-heavy format – he’d be wasted on the longer piece shows. I think Tom Service is doing well on Saturday AM, even if the schedule robbed my of Record Review in that slot. Jools Holland isn’t actually that bad! He does seem to actually care about the music. But it’s not worth the loss of the excellent Inside Music show. The new Sat Breakfast presenter is not as twee as E Alker, but so painfully scripted and lacking interest I struggle to listen. S M-P’s Music Map is a dumbed down nonsense when compared with the old Discovering Music.
And so on.
On short, R3 remains flawed, but I think it does a pretty good job with some excellent bits, some not so good, and a lot where different demands are not going to be accomodated at once. I still listen a lot, discover some new music, hear some old favourites and get a reasonable mix of this – depending when you listen. If you listen a lot, you do spot, Classic FM-like, some playlist favourites: a month or two ago you couldn’t move for Wedding Day at Troldhaugen. That sort of thing should get changed first, before worrying too much about presenters and programmes per se.
Petroc T drives me round the bend. I have to turn off whenever he appears. Far too much ego. As for radio 3 all round, far too much talk. I do enjoy the evening concerts Monday to Friday and the Saturday opera. Friday night is music night is an absolute no-no
I do the same for KD!
Sarah Walker is my favourite
The BBC continues to show that it is a stupid and ineptly run organisation! Get rid of the bosses and not excellent presenters.
We all have presenters we miss – Michael Oliver is my pick of them all, but who remembers him now? Such an insightful writer too.
Michael wrote an excellent Britten biography for my Phaidon series.
As well as a biography of Stravinsky, many thanks for commissioning them.
Much missed: Required listening on Sunday mornings! Brave days.
After playing the thrilling Te Deum from Tosca last night, Rafferty revelled in repeating Scarpia’s cry: “Oh Tosca, you make me forget God!” While the chorus continues with the te deum itself. The sacred and the profane!
I cannot imagine the wittering Katie Derham even remotely approaching such passion!
I rarely listen to In Tune – especially if the insuffrable and grinning KD is presenting. The worse thing though is his replacement PT – which will have Tom McKinney replacing Petroc. In R3s desire to be less London centric. Shame Ian Skelly will not be doing weekday breakfast.
Another own goal from the head of R3 who continues to dumb the station down. Bad enough to sidelines talents like Ian Skelly and promote nobodies but to treat the wonderful and erudite SR like this is frankly stupid.
So agree with you
Why on earth is BBC betraying one of Radio 3’s best presenters who is still on top form?.His eady manner and natural warmth make all who enter the studio feel comfortable and this is really lovely for some of the very new musicians on for the first time Listening is always a treat. Has BBC been infected with ageism ? He wanted to continue so why not let him ?Than you Sean for all the lovely times you have given us . I wish you all lhe best for whatever you do next. So many will miss you..
Shame. I just don’t think Katie Derham has the same background knowledge. She’s still a little bit “lovely stuff” from her Classic FM days. Radio 3 is not Classic FM and should not aspire to be.
Sean Rafferty is such an entertaining presenter whom I’ve immensely enjoyed over the years. He’s absolutely unique and I will miss his very special style of presenting.
Sean Rafferty is an outstanding presenter with personality, knowledge and charisma. Such a loss and even worse to be replaced by bland Katie and bland Petroc. Just like Classic FM. Horrid. And why does Tom Service speak so quickly? Stressful. Bring back Record Review to Saturday morning please. Why change things? Leave us listeners in peace!
I’ve always found him dreadfully obsequious toward his guests but that’s just my take. I sometimes got the impression that he couldn’t wait for featured music to stop so that he could start talking again. Also just myself.
Fan of Sean’s as I am, I agree he could sometimes be obsequious to guests – which led to one of the great carcrash moments I ever heard, when Paavo Berglund objected to his manner.
I cannot imagine wanting to listen to the programme once SR goes. It is so completely dependent for its success on his personality, his knowledge, his charm and his humanity. It is the SR Show. It’s hardly a reflection on KD that the shoes are far too big for her to fill. It would be better to bring it to an end this week.
Thank the Gods for my internet radio. I listen to R3 less and less since the dumbing down of daytime programmes with added vacuous verbiage, endless plugs to listen again on BBC Sounds and those irritating ‘commercials’ – some not even for R3 progs. A crass decision to move SR to “other duties”. So now…even more of KD – Oh dear, Oh dear!
We will miss Sean – no one is irreplaceable – or are they? This is the third time we have switched radio stations for this slot due to beloved presenters being replaced. Sometimes we just need the hug of a trusted wonderful constant in our lives. Stop meddling and leave the good stuff alone. Need to find another drive time slot – AGAIN!
Feels like losing Desmond Carrington – some people just have the magic. Thank you Sean. Hope to hear you in the future on the airwaves somewhere … with much appreciation.
Drive time?
There are some seriously off kilter comments here. Personal attacks on Katie and even Sean. The very idea that more people listening to Radio 3 is a bad thing is risible. It isn’t what is was and I am grateful for that – it has evolved, get over it
No!
I find your comment strange.
A channel devoted to classical music will strongly engage people, so you must not be surprised by the strength of opinions, and resistance to change.
And don’t expect people to rejoice, as you do, in increased listener numbers, if the changes that encourage new entrants are the same changes that drive the loyal long-term listeners away. I don’t give a damn about more people listening. I’m only concerned that I can’t listen as much as I did.
Oh Sean, we will miss you sorely, we have loved every moment you have been with us on radio 3.
Please please don’t leave altogether.
Such a shame to lose him – what do they think they are doing ? He is a real pleasure to listen to – both relaxed and knowledgeable.
The poisonous touch of Sam Jackson and other previous radio 3 controllers once again getting rid of the best presenters ( and also putting forward some cliched music) Sam Jackson – “ radio 3 can learn from Classic FM”. !! More accurately I think classic could learn from Radio 3 or could have done
Dumbing down is alive and well at RADIO 3. What have Martin Handley, Ian Skelly and Sean Rafferty in common? All have been moved aside to make way for prattling fools like Trelawney, Derham and Mann who know nothing worth the knowing when it comes to classical music. I find myself listening less and less to Radio 3 nowadays because of these presenters who seem to think they are more important than the music.
Spot on. I have been an avid listener since I discovered great music aged 11 – for almost 55 years now. I could not believe my luck at discovering a whole radio station devoted to it, and it taught me much. No longer. We are left with dross – apart from a few gold nuggets – they surely will be ditched soon a la Rafferty. Sad. I listen very little now.
Fully agree – well said.
Cheers.
Wholeheartedly agree with every word!
Did an ‘In Tune’ with him way back in 2003. Wonderfully relaxed with him. A great loss to R3
The essential problem with current R3 strategy is DJ as the main attraction above the music. So we get a load of idiots like Georgia Mann (Essential Classics is so lost that they have to ask the audience to help them select music), the Scottish one who has that permanent smile while she’s speaking, And Katie Derham who just loves the sound of her own laughter, and wants us all to know it too. Plus other chinless wonders.
Sean Rafferty is one of the great unselfish DJ’s whose love of rhe music and the personalities who create it has enlightened InTune listeners for nearly 30 years. Well done Sir!
As for the rest of R3 tosseurs…. “Taxi!”
Well I find both SR and KD pretty insufferable. Both of them are happiest when their tongues are rammed up some opera singer’s arse. But KD’s endless guffawing tips the balance against her. The only presenter who I think might make it work is Ian Skelly, who has a dry wit and can think on his feet
Katie Derham always has a “Down Tools Moment” at around 17:30 when she plays a longer piece of music.
Sean Rafferty has never ever had a “Down Tools Moment” despite similarly always playing a longer piece of music at around 17:30.
This divergence between the two main presenters makes me chuckle every single day. I doubt that Katie has ever in her life held a tool that she could possibly down. And I always imagine Sean defiantly gripping his tool throughout his daily, unacknowledged Down Tools Moment. And the producers must have been screaming at the two presenters for years to reach a consensus but to no avail as they both dig in their heels.
I am truly mortified. In Tune with Sean has been a real highlight of the day and a highlight of Rad 3 for me for many years.
It is tragic that there are fewer and fewer quality presenters on Rad 3 who have a real knowledge and understanding of the classical rep and the classical music field.
Sean is not a DJ – he is a knowledgeable, erudite, articulate, informed, entertaining, cultured and hugely experienced presenter and interviewer and a total pleasure to listen to.
I thank him for all he has given us and trust that he will somehow continue on our airwaves for years to come.
Such a huge loss to the Radio 3 audience.
Why on earth would you get rid of SR who is so brilliant at what he does?
All the listeners silently agree.
Just because you can’t hear mass opinion don’t mistake his popularity.
Massive error on the part of BBC, just another one of many.
There’s clearly a hidden agenda be at political or personal.
Auntie would do well to remember it is the fee paying listeners funding your salaries.
Tragic loss of the most brilliant R 3 host and KD….NO substitute at all.
Another massive mistake by Radio 3 Controller ….to lose Sean is to lose the very essence of what good radio is. Katy D is a very poor substitute and has no real chustpa to carry a programme like this. That’s the end of my listening to radio 3 I’ve had enough of you. I will read a good book and listen to my own music. I hope I can find Sean somewhere on the air waves soon to make my life bearable.
This is absolutely terrible news and the end of listening to In Tune .
They can’t honestly believe that the simpering silly KD will hold this together or that we will stumble on with a diet of Sarah Walker and Ian Skelly.
This is a sad day for radio 3
Forever giggling with that asinine laugh uf!
End of listening full stop. Radio 3 c’est la mort
It says something that my favourite Radio 3 program would be ‘Classical Mixtape’ were it not for the stupid voice overs. I still have not got over losing Martin Handley on Sunday morning and moving Record Review to Sat pm.
I can see myself switch to Naim or Linn Classical
Presenters need to earn their keep
Exactly.
I wrote and told them so. It is the Classic fm fetid influence and destruction. Who employed these people? You watch next stop will be Scott Mills or Aasmah Mir…
I find R3’s disposal of Sean incomprehensible. He is just so good at his job. Katy Derham isn’t : I find her hectoring voice impossible to listen to. R3 seems to have mislaid any sense that radio broadcasting is about appropriate voices – ones that can be heard easily by listeners of all ages. So many of its presenters now are hard to understand and don’t project well. Elizabeth Alker is especially poor. But for interview programmes, empathy is also important, and can’t be faked, which is where Sean (nearly) always scored. I hope he finds a new niche somewhere he’s valued as highly as he deserves.
The problem is, he’s a male of a certain age. This week a performer whom he had interviewed when she was
16 remembered how tactfully he had treated her. He’s an unacknowledged national treasure.
He oozed sincerity; JD, poor lamb, oozes the opposite.
A travesty, he’s the best presenter on Radio 3, it’s never about him but always about the music , his interaction with his guests are a delight, the messing around with the schedule just got worse . Best wishes to Sean .
Marmite then.
Very sad SR is leaving. He is very good. He will be greatly missed. He has been treated badly.
KD is tedious.
Erudite, entertaining and fantastically knowledgeable… No place at Radio 3 for the elegant Mr Rafferty. Sam Jackson has much to answer for and will ultimately destroy Radio 3.
Sean is wonderful. Brilliant improvised wit and a vast depth of knowledge.
And why are older people (and all male choirs!) so often excluded from “diversity”? Would a dictionary help?
simply staggered to Sean Rafferty to say this is his last In Tune today. A huge loss and such a wonderful presenter with a wide and deep knowledge of artists and music. I wish the same could be said of all the members of the In Tune team…… let us hope he will be back on the classical airwaves again soon
So sad. I have loved listening to him over the years – his humour, knowledge, wonderful way with guests….an irreplaceable loss
So sorry to hear Sean leave – such a magical voice and elegant presentation. What a shame, the evenings won’t be quite so enjoyable. Best wishes to him indeed and whatever he graces next.
Trust the BBC to get everything wrong.
Oh, how I will miss Sean Rafferty.
Charm, erudition and wonderful interactions with debutant as well as the highest level of guests.
Shame on you Radio 3. Who else can raise the bar on the salon?
Agree with all the comments. Sean’s loss will devalue the programme in my view. Another ageist decision from the BBC. Such erudition, humour and experience is not easily replaced.
Thank you Sean Rafferty. All best wishes.
I came to the conclusion several years ago about the downward spiral in the quality of presenters on Radio 3. My solution was to get an internet radio and listen to Belgian French Radio 3. It has even has the same name . Try it.
Sean was the best presenter ever.
I am bereft! What in God’s name is Sean Rafferty being allowed to leave Radio 3 InTune. I have listened to his programme since 1998, when I started my PhD. He and his programme accompanied my own journey. After writing for the day I turned on my radio and engaged with the world of music. I danced in my kitchen and applauded the incredibly talented musicians struggling with the atmosphere in the aging studio in the bowels of BBC broadcasting house that was frequently not conducive to the instruments being played. I appreciated the gentle and benign enabling that Sean employed to bring the best out of these prodigious future stars.
He ha gone now and what are we left with? After tonight’s offering it seems to be shallow populist emanations of James Bond culture! Poor show BBC Radio 3 – you have lost an exemplary presenter and replaced him with lackluster immitations!
So sad Sean has finished as presenter of ” In Tune.” I have been listening for many years and have enjoyed his knowledgeable and entertaining conversations with
a wide variety of guests; genuine love of music and enthusiasm for the Arts in general. He was in a class of his own, in my opinion.
Such a shock tonight. I thought we had Sean’s delightful company until April. What will I do in the evenings when I’m chopping up onions and drinking wine and enjoying Sean’s witty companionship? KD is like a jolly Sixth Form Prefect and foedmt hold a candle to dear Sean.
While I mourn the loss of the wonderful Sean Rafferty, many of the comments here are just taking advantage of the opportunity to express mysogynistic views. That disgusts me as much as the sacking of Sean.
Just because the person who is being criticised is a woman does not mean that people are being misogynistic. That is an easy and cheap accusation.
Sean Rafferty is to Radio 3 what Terry Wogan was to Radio 2. Sean was born for radio and has a natural ease and a wonderful sense of humour. I can’t tell you how much I will miss him and In Tune. I already turn off on the days he is not broadcasting.
The dark cloud that has been hanging over R3 since the new management has one silver lining for me and that is that the very listenable to Tom McKinney will be replacing Petroc Trelawney on Breakfast. Petroc like Katie Derham is another presenter that I want to like but just can’t seem to warm to.
Over the years radio presenters that we listen to everyday become like friends we invite into our homes and who accompany us through all life’s ups and downs.
Your goodbye party was a joy to listen to. Thank you for over quarter of a century of wonderful, warm, witty and entertaining radio.
Sean was so knowledgeable and humorous, he put everyone at ease. I will miss his cheerful voice very much.
He was the embodiment of charm and better than the BBC deserves.
I am a recent convert to Radio 3 – roughly 4 years ago I guess . We all have our “favourite “ presenters of course but some of the comments here are way off beam . All media realises it has to renew and refresh itself, and does so. If not it gets accused of being starchy and stale. Sean R. Was good to listen to when he was not coughing, gabbling etc but he was not faultless. And the misogyny on here is so childish. Radio 3 is excellent to listen to and I am so glad I have found it.
For me, it’s nowt to do with misogyny – there are good presenters and bad ones. Gender doesn’t come into it.
I think there’s a problem with the format. Too often the presenter has to interview some youngsters who have devoted their entire short lives to practising their instruments or voices. They don’t have much to say for themselves, and the presenter just has to jolly them along. And Katie Derham always signs off with a version of “listen, great stuff guys, do be sure to come back soon”.
Or it’s a conductor down the line, basically phoning it in.
Sean Rafferty was at his best when he went full Paxman on the hapless executive who signed the BBC Singers’ death warrant. But that was rare.
Really the show needs to decide if it’s a warm bath of mutual loveliness, or if it wants to give the listener something to think about.
I expect they’ll all be replaced by AI presenters. Maybe the idiots that run the BBC will be replaced in the same way. Will save millions….
Radio 3 is becoming vanilla. A few newish presenters that are just dull. Hardly shaking things up. Cannot believe what has been done to Sean Rafferty. Shame on the woke brigade.
A true loss that has ruined a highlight of my day, more dumbing down?
Absolutely delighted Mr Rafferty departed on his terms exactly AS HE WISHED. Gave them a serve. Get hold of that ‘controllers’. You are and have got it wrong – need to be told? How utterly sad was his last show. Hey, why not get Scott Mills to host it. I hardly put the radio on anymore.
Radio 3 incorporating Jazz fm and Classic fm I’m oot!
I couldn’t agree more re Katie D – pity they haven’t got rid of her rather than Sean R – indeed a national treasure and it is tragic that he is departing. Replace Katie D with Sarah Walker instead – That would be a good move. JS
Will really miss Sean. A very unfortunate mistake pushing him aside.
I am already spending less time listening to radio 3.
BBC Radio’s ridiculous cull of knowledgeable presenters who don’t have a TV/ celebrity persona… one step closer to Classic FM ..