Big Band Special was a 30-minute programme broadcast on Monday nights at 9.30pm and presented by Clare Teal since April 2006.
Big Band Special was also available to listen to for a further seven days following each broadcast via the BBC iPlayer.
Big Band Special embraced a diverse mix of repertoire ranging from the 1930s sounds of Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson and Jimmie Lunceford, through the swing era to the modern sounds of leading jazz writers including Francy Boland, Bob Brookmeyer, John Clayton, Bob Florence, Steve Gray, Bill Holman, Jörg Achim Keller, Rob McConnell and Gerry Mulligan.
Conductors featured regularly on Big Band Special included American jazz trombonist Jiggs Whigham, leading British arrangers Mark Nightingale and Steve Sidwell, the BBC Big Band's baritone saxophonist Jay Craig and Jöerg Achim Keller.
In September 2013, BBC Radio 2 announced it would overhaul its schedule, merging its two Big Band themed programmes – Big Band Special and Sunday Night at 10 – to create a two-hour show airing on Sunday evenings from 9–11pm.