Legendary Radio 2 DJ steps down after 14 years

It left listeners emotional

“We made 2 hrs [hours] of radio feel like a private members club, that's the stuff of dreams”, she wrote on Instagram as she announced her departure.

Until the end of this month, the slot will be backfilled by host of the Rock Show, Shaun Keaveny.

Tarbuck would be “hugely missed”, Radio 2 controller Helen Thomas said, who added that they “wish her the very best of luck for the future”.

Thomas said that “every Saturday evening, Liza created a truly magical, fantastical world.”

“She was beloved by everyone at the station and all her listeners, and the door at Radio 2 will always be open for her”, she added.

Tarbuck, who hosted the show since 2012, since 17 January has not been on air.

Keaveny and comedian Josh Widdicombe have taken turns hosting the slot in the interim.

However, she did not explain her absence to the listeners.

Tarbuck said: “I'll be seeing you… won't I? Yes, I'll be seeing you next week”, at the end of her last programme.

She looked back at her time on the show, saying: “Thousands of people enjoyed each other's company like great friends… Thank you for letting me in, it's been a privilege”, in her Instagram post to her fans.

The outgoing presenter had “decided she'd like her weekends back”, according to a BBC Radio 2 statement.