Key Points
- Vernon Kay has announced that Sir Paul McCartney has recorded a special edition of BBC Radio 2’s Tracks of My Years.
- The McCartney feature is scheduled to air on Monday 25 May, with BBC Sounds and iPlayer availability from the same date.
- The development adds to a run of high-profile television and radio appearances involving Bolton names Vernon Kay and Paddy McGuinness.
- Paddy McGuinness and Vernon Kay are also linked to a second appearance on Channel 4’s Gogglebox, according to coverage published in 2025.
- The story centres on two separate entertainment developments, both involving well-known Bolton personalities and major UK broadcasters.
Bolton(Manchester Mirror)May 14, 2026 – Sir Paul McCartney has recorded a special edition of BBC Radio 2’s Tracks of My Years with Vernon Kay, while separate coverage has confirmed another joint television outing for uk/local/bolton/">Bolton friends Paddy McGuinness and Vernon Kay on Channel 4.
What has been announced?
As reported by BBC Media Centre, Sir Paul McCartney has recorded a special Tracks of My Years for Vernon Kay’s BBC Radio 2 programme, with the episode set to air on Monday, 25 May. The BBC also said the feature will be available on BBC Sounds and iPlayer from the same date. The announcement places one of the world’s best-known musicians at the centre of a flagship Radio 2 segment that asks guests to choose the songs that have soundtracked their lives.
Why does it matter?
The significance of the announcement is not only McCartney’s involvement but also the profile it gives to a programme that relies on personal music selections and nostalgia. For BBC Radio 2, a special from McCartney is likely to attract strong interest from listeners who follow both classic pop history and Vernon Kay’s mid-morning show. It also strengthens the public profile of Kay as a presenter able to secure major names for national radio.
How are Paddy and Vernon involved?
Separate reporting from 2025 said Paddy McGuinness and Vernon Kay were set to appear together on Channel 4’s Gogglebox for a second time. That coverage described them as two of Bolton’s most recognisable personalities and said the appearance would mark a return to the show after a previous episode. In the same report, Paddy was quoted on social media saying:
“He Big V back on channel 4 ,ogglebox this Friday!”
What did the sources say?
BBC Media Centre said that the McCartney Tracks of My Years was announced on Vernon Kay’s mid-morning Radio 2 show, and that the special would air on 25 May. The BBC’s social posts repeated that the programme would be available on BBC Sounds and iPlayer from that date. Coverage of the Gogglebox return was published by outlets including Yahoo News and local reporting linked to The Bolton News, which both identified the pair’s second appearance on the Channel 4 format.
Where does this fit in?
The two developments sit within a wider pattern of entertainment coverage involving Bolton-linked broadcasters and comedians. Vernon Kay has increasingly been associated with major guest-led radio features, while Paddy McGuinness continues to appear across entertainment programming and special one-off formats. The shared thread is their long-running friendship and public association with Bolton, which remains a useful hook for local and national coverage.
Background of the development
BBC Radio 2’s Tracks of My Years is a recurring feature in which guests select songs that have shaped their lives, making it a natural fit for a figure such as Sir Paul McCartney. The programme has previously featured a wide range of artists and broadcasters, which gives context to why this particular edition has drawn attention. Separately, Paddy McGuinness and Vernon Kay have built a public reputation as long-time friends, with previous joint appearances and interviews keeping their pairing visible to audiences.
What could happen next?
For fans of Vernon Kay, the McCartney special is likely to bring a significant lift in attention to his BBC Radio 2 slot, particularly among older listeners and music fans who follow legacy artists. For audiences who enjoy Paddy McGuinness and Vernon Kay together, the Gogglebox appearance reinforces their on-screen chemistry and keeps both men in prime-time conversation. More broadly, the development may help both broadcasters maintain strong public visibility across radio and television audiences in the weeks ahead.
