Rylan Clark has been tipped among the favourites to take over from Ken Bruce after the legendary DJ became the latest older star to leave BBC Radio 2. 

Bruce, 71, has jumped ship after 45 years for commercial rival Greatest Hits Radio, where radio insiders predicted he could be on £500,000 a year.   

Radio consultant Paul Chantler suggested Radio 2 could look for a younger name to replace him, and named former X Factor star Rylan Clark as a possible candidate.  

Clark, 34, praised Bruce in a Twitter post today, writing: 'A beautiful man who's always been so lovely to me at BBC Radio 2. 

'Going to be so missed on air, but personally I'll miss having a beer in a foreign country discussing anything and everything whilst at Eurovision. Thanks for always being so lovely.'