EXCLUSIVE: Ken Bruce reveals he could barely speak between songs after his second divorce and used radio as his ‘therapy’
Radio legend Ken Bruce has revealed he could barely speak between some songs after his second divorce.
Bruce, who left Radio 2 after four decades in March in a huge shake-up, spoke out about how broadcasting had helped him through difficult times through most of his career, including the ‘massive low’ of his first split.
The Greatest Hits radio presenter, 72, has tied the knot three times and is married to Kerith Coldham, who he tied the knot with in 2000.
Bruce wed for the first time in 1976 with Fiona Fraser, with whom he had two children, but the marriage was to end 12 years later.
Recalling the time, he said: ‘That was a massive low for me.
‘It doesn’t come out in work. I actually find work therapeutic. Being on the radio is really helpful.’
Two years after the divorce Bruce wed again, only to file for another separation, from Anne Gilchrist, with whom he had his fourth child, five years later.
However, the radio host said after his second heartache, the work proved to be a mixed blessing as he found it hard coping with the lyrics of sad songs which would nearly render him speechless.
Speaking in an interview for the Rosebud podcast, out on Friday 15 September, the father-of-six said: ‘After my second divorce, I found that I was playing records, you know sad records, like Roy Orbison’s Crying or something like that, (and it) would really bring me down.
‘It would be a struggle to do the next link. But that was temporary. Mostly work has been huge therapy for me and got me through an awful lot.’
Asked what caused his first break-up and if he thought he may have been too young marrying in his mid twenties, he said: ‘Yes, probably.’
