John Lennon's son hosting special radio show on dad's 80th birthday with Paul McCartney interview

BBC Radio 2 are marking what would have been John Lennon’s 80th birthday with a two-part special dedicated to the star hosted by his youngest son Sean.

The programme will see Sean, 44, sit down alongside Lennon’s bandmate in The Beatles, Sir Paul McCartney – who will provide some insight into the band’s early days.

“I look back on it now like a fan, how lucky was I to meet this strange Teddy Boy off the bus, who played music like I did and we get together and boy, we complemented each other!” he says on the show.

Speaking of the beginning of their partnership, McCartney adds: “There were a few songs that weren’t very good… you know, clearly young songwriters who don’t know how to do it.

“Eventually, we started to write slightly better songs and then enjoyed the process of learning together so much that it really took off.”

Sir Elton is Sean’s godfather and performed at Madison Square Garden with Lennon in 1974, in what became Lennon’s final live gig, and where he was reunited with Yoko Ono.

Lennon’s elder son Julian Lennon, and close friend Sir Elton John, will also feature in the programme.

Head of BBC Radio 2 Helen Thomas said: “John Lennon is one of the Radio 2 audience’s most popular and best-loved musicians, so we’re thrilled and honoured that Sean’s first ever radio programme in which he talks at length about his father, alongside his brother Julian, Paul McCartney and Elton John, will be broadcast on our network.”

John Lennon At 80 will be broadcast on October 3 and 4 at 9 to 10pm on BBC Radio 2 and will be on BBC Sounds.

Additional reporting from PA

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