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Oct 2025
26m 41s

Queen: 4. The Reign Continues

BBC RADIO 2
About this episode

In this episode of Eras: Queen, Bill Bailey tells the story of the band's most poignant and powerful chapter.

By the start of the 90s, Queen knew time was running short as Freddie Mercury was gravely ill. Instead of slowing down, they pushed forward, making another album, Innuendo, and creating the video for "These Are The Days Of Our Lives," Freddie’s final on-camera appearance. This episode explores the profound impact of Freddie's public announcement of his AIDS diagnosis, followed by his passing just 24 hours later.

The reign continues in 1992 as Brian, Roger, and John orgainse the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium. We explore the release of their album Made in Heaven in 1995 which was built around Freddie’s final vocal recordings.

Bill looks at Queen's continued legacy through the We Will Rock You musical and the Bohemian Rhapsody film. We celebrate Queen's new phase with Adam Lambert, who, alongside Brian May and Roger Taylor, continues to bring their music to life. With new interviews with Queen fans, Matt Lucas and Brittany Howard, we find out about Queen's unwavering dedication to their fans, old and new, and how their music continues to resonate across generations.

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