Frank Skinner fans mourn radio exit as David Baddiel weighs in

Frank Skinner has announced his departure from Absolute Radio and it's fair to say that the move has proved about as popular with listeners as it did with Skinner himself. Not very.

In a pre-recorded message to fans aired on Saturday, the star confessed he "didn't take it well" when he got the news — and his listeners haven't either. Twitter has filled with support for Skinner, with many furious at Absolute for letting him go.

The 67-year-old comedian first joined Absolute Radio in April 2009 as the host of the Saturday morning breakfast show, and he has continued to front the popular weekly broadcast ever since, along with co-host Emily Dean.

Skinner's long-term comedy partner David Baddiel was among those left shocked by the decision, writing on Twitter that the show is "brilliant" and that only an "Absolute t***" wouldn't have renewed it.

Announcing his exit, Skinner said: "We've just celebrated our 15th anniversary on the show, so obviously that means the new contract is coming, and every year I do self-deprecating jokes about the fact that we probably won't get it renewed. Guess what?! Yeah, we didn't."

Skinner said the show had "a good run", but compared himself to Grampa Simpson in a nod to his increasing age.

He added: "I took it well in that we've had 15 years and Absolute have actually been very, very good to us in those 15 years but I didn't take it well. I took it well in the way David Tennant took it well as the Tenth Doctor when he started to regenerate and said: 'I don't want to go'."

It's fair to say that Baddiel wasn't alone in wondering about the decision, with several fans hoping that Skinner would resurface on a rival station, like Greatest Hits or BBC Radio 2.

In a statement to media, Absolute Radio's content director Paul Sylvester said Skinner would still be on air for "a few more weeks" and said further information on the summer schedule would come soon.

He said: "Frank has been a huge part of the Absolute Radio story and after 15 years this is truly the end of an era. We are hugely grateful for the contribution he's made to both Saturday mornings and our charity comedy nights at the London Palladium."

Skinner has recently returned to the stage and is currently on tour with his latest stand-up show 30 Years of Dirt, celebrating three decades of his career in comedy.

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