Radio 2 star and PopMaster creator Phil Swern dead aged 76 – Tony Blackburn and Ken Bruce pay heartfelt tributes to their ‘great friend’

Radio 2 star and PopMaster creator Phil Swern has died aged 76 after suffering a “long illness”.

Many of his famous friends, including Tony Blackburn and Ken Bruce, were the first to pay tribute to their “great friend” after hearing of his shocking death.

Sharing his devastation on X, Ken wrote: ‘It’s the saddest day as my great friend Phil Swern has passed away.

‘Phil was a brilliantly inventive man with a passion for music. He had a vast career as a record and radio producer, a creator of television formats, and as a guide and co-creator of Popmaster.

‘He was a unique fountain of pop knowledge; he started collecting records as a child and continued to show the same enthusiasm into his seventies.

“Without him, there would be no Popmaster, neither on radio nor on television. He leaves a huge void in my life and in the lives of many people.”

Tony also wrote: ‘I’m very sad to say that my dear friend of over 60 years and producer of @BBCRadio2 Sound of the Sixties passed away yesterday afternoon after a long illness.

“So glad to have seen him and his wife Lynsey last Friday. We will all miss Phil the Collector, Swern.”

PopMaster X’s official account announced the news to fans on Sunday morning with an emotional tribute.

He said: ‘Sadly today we say goodbye to Phil Swern, the collector who for many years drove Popmaster content.

‘His wife Lyndsey was by his side. His favourite song was What a Wonderful World by Nat King Coles. We will miss our gentle man.’

Early in his career, Phil produced Pick Of The Pops on Radio 1 in the late 80s and early 90s.

Following his time at Radio 1, Phil hosted the show on Radio 2 from 1997 to 2023.

His successful career has also led him to produce Sound Of The 60s for 17 years.