Malcolm Laycock, who died on 8 November, 2009, was the presenter of BBC Radio 2’s weekly dance band programme Sunday Night at 10.

When he left the show, which celebrated the music of the 1920s and ’30s, owing to policy disagreements with his bosses a few months previously, there was outrage among listeners, radio critics and even MPs.

Mr Laycock had hosted the show for 14 years and drawn regular listening figures of over 300,000.

He had been a BBC broadcaster since the 1960s, hosting jazz programmes on Radio London and the World Service.

He also presented radio documentaries, winning a Sony award for Billie Holiday In Her Own Words.

In the early ’90s he became programme controller at the nascent Jazz FM.

Bob Shennan, controller of Radio 2, said: “Malcolm was a much-loved and highly respected broadcaster, renowned for his skill as a presenter and producer, and his passion for music and radio.”