BBC Radio Ulster celebrates 50 years with return of Gloria Hunniford, Wendy Austin, Seamus McKee, John Daly, Colin Murray, Brian Mullen, Mike Edgar, Paul Clark and George Hamilton

Gloria Hunniford, Wendy Austin, Seamus McKee and John Daly are among the BBC Radio Ulster's alumni returning to the station this week.

On 1 January 1975 BBC Radio Ulster crackled into life, replacing what had previously been Studio 2BE, and providing local opt-outs from the BBC Home Service.

On the stroke of midnight, the first programme would feature Sean Rafferty, Walter Love and, at the heart of it, John Bennett and Gloria Hunniford.

Marking BBC Radio Ulster's 50th anniversary - and coming at the end of the BBC’s 100th birthday in Northern Ireland - 10 former broadcasters are set to return to BBC Broadcasting House as guests to chat about their memories, the importance of radio and its connection with listeners, as well as their love and passion for the programmes they presented.

Emma Dunseith, BBC Northern Ireland Senior Head Of Content Production, said: "We wanted to round this centenary year off by inviting back some of our amazing former broadcasters as guests to share their stories and memories, as we prepare for BBC Radio Ulster’s 50th birthday early next year. We hope our listeners will enjoy this five days of reflecting back and looking forward.”

On Wednesday 11 December, Wendy Austin and Seamus McKee will be back live behind the mic on Good Morning Ulster, while later in the day Rose Neill catches up with Anna Curran on the Afternoon Show from 3-4pm.

Rounding off the day, John Daly will be chatting with Vinny and Cate on their teatime programme from 6-7.30pm.

Colin Murray will also join Hugo Duncan on Thursday 12 December from 1.30pm, while Brian Mullen is back on Blas that evening from 7.30pm.

Then on Friday 13 December, broadcasting legend Gloria Hunniford will be talking to Connor Phillips, sharing some of her many memories as one of those who launched the station in 1975.

Mike Edgar joins Stephen McCauley later in the day on his programme from 7pm.

Paul Clark is John Toal's guest on Saturday 14 December from 11am, and on Sunday 15 December, George Hamilton rounds off the five days on Classical Connections with John Toal from 7pm.

The 50th anniversary celebrations continue with a special two part series looking at the five decades of broadcasting - Radio Ulster at 50.

The two special one-hour programmes celebrate the 50th birthday, with presenter Anna Curran time travelling through five decades of turbulent history, mixing highlights of the station’s colourful archive and chatting with some of the presenters who broadcast on its airwaves, intermingled with some musical hits from the past 50 years.

Gloria Hunniford said: “It was this balance between a brand new year [1975], a brand new station and a brand new broadcasting life for many of us. The identity with the Northern Ireland people with this new station was very, very strong. They loved the idea that it was Radio Ulster. And then of course so many programmes were born to fit into Radio Ulster, so it was a totally new era.”

Radio Ulster at 50 is available now on BBC Sounds and will be on BBC Radio Ulster on Tuesday 31 December and Wednesday 1 January at 3pm.