Jimmy Young said his last 'bye for now’ on Radio 2 at the end of 2002. A very private man, here he finally reveals the truth behind his controversial departure from the BBC after so long – and the full story of his life. He tells of a difficult childhood, two stormy marriages and his affairs. He recounts his meteoric rise as a singer with two consecutive Number Ones – and the equally fast decline in fortunes that left him penniless and despairing until he found radio. The JY Prog, with its legions of fans, was a mould-breaking mix of music, recipes, chat and current affairs and attracted every serving Prime Minister from Sir Alec Douglas Home to Tony Blair. Told in his unmistakable warm, intelligent voice, this is a fascinating, funny, candid account of a life in showbusiness and the private man behind one our best-loved public figures.

          Judging by the amount of publicity JY’s departure from Radio 2 received – not to mention his programme’s 5.5 million listeners – there is a huge, ready-made audience for this autobiography of one of the nation’s light entertainment institutions. Whatever one’s personal views of the broadcaster, Young’s story is an extraordinary one. It is easy to forget that he had three number one hits before reinventing himself as a radio show host and could easily have become the next Perry Como or Andy Williams. Yet just a few years later, his was the first BBC radio show to broadcast from Moscow during the Cold War. Naturally, the title is subject to a serialisation embargo – but expect some juicy stories about the many Prime Ministers who have sat opposite him in the studio.