A BBC radio host had to be taken off air during her final show after listeners complained that she sounded "drunk".

Paula White's last stint as BBC Radio Stoke's afternoon presenter on Friday afternoon ended earlier than expected after she slurred and stumbled her way through the first 30 minutes of her live show.

"For the last time on lunchtime let's ssssssssssay you pick the music", the popular presenter drawled.

"It's a P-A-R-T-Y because I said sooooo... Some people will say, 'Oh, thank goodness she's gone.'"

Ms White confessed that she'd had "a couple of drinks" but denied being intoxicated.

"I'm not drunk, I've had a couple of drinks, I'm not drunk… I'm sad", the DJ giggled after a listener sent a text to producers suggesting that she was drunk.

A colleague soon took over and announced: "Paula is not feeling well with it being her last afternoon show and has gone home."

White, who has been in the broadcasting industry for 20 years, was due to begin a new slot with the BBC on Saturdays.

A BBC Spokesperson told RadioToday.co.uk: "Paula White was unable to continue on-air yesterday as she was under par. Fortunately Denholm Siergertz was on hand to take over the show and listeners were able to enjoy the usual lively mix of chat and local news.

"We can confirm that this was Paula's last show in the afternoon weekday slot on BBC Radio Stoke." 

Longtime senator Douglas Henry will not seek re-election in 2014.

Henry's political ally attorney Nick Bailey sent an email to Henry's supporters on Tuesday announcing the 86-year-old Nashville Democrat's decision. Bailey said Henry will serve the remainder of his term through next year.

Henry was the longtime chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee until Republicans took control of the upper chamber in 2007. Before his election to the Senate, Henry served a single term in the state House beginning in 1955. He was later elected to the Senate in 1971 where he's remained.

Henry's District 21 seat represents southwestern Nashville, including some of the city's wealthiest neighborhoods.

DYERSBURG, Tenn. (AP) _ A Dyer County woman was cited after driving her child to elementary school on a four-wheeler.

The State Gazette reports Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers were at Finley Elementary to promote the use of car seats and booster seats. Troopers were checking vehicles to make sure parents were using the proper safety equipment while transporting their children to school.

Shortly before classes began, one woman drove into the school's drop-off zone on an all-terrain vehicle. She dropped her child off and was stopped by the troopers. THP Sgt. Robert Moore said the woman was cited for driving an off-road vehicle on a roadway. The incident happened on Wednesday.

Moore told the paper, ``In all of my years on the job, I've never seen anything quite like it.'' 

Our Comcast Business Class win lunch for your office contest continues and over the past month, we've had winners from all over the Midstate. First, faithful WLAC listener Micah Phillips from Benchmark Realty in Franklin bought some chinese food for his office with his winnings!

Micah said no one wanted their picture taken so he sent a photo of the grub...

Next, I had the opportunity to meet Brian Werner from the Tennessee Lottery, another Comcast Business Class win lunch for your office winner. Brian gave me an awesome tour of the Lottery headquarters but didn't have tips on how to win the Lottery!! ;)

A couple of weeks back, Kimbery Beasley of New Life International in Madison was our lucky winner. Kimberly says New Life is a non-profit organization that is involved in a number of things and I got to tour their office as well...

Finally, I got to meet the wacky crew at Certified Pain Specialists in Gallatin! Tamara Gentry is an avid WLAC listener and this gang is soon to go out to lunch on us!

Don't forget that you could be one of our next winners. To nominate your office to win a $100 AMEX gift card, just email your name, office name and contact information to dan@wlac.com to win lunch from Comcast Business Class and WLAC!!

U.S. researchers say that the taste of beer - whether it contains alcohol or not - makes us want to drink more. To find this, researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine scanned the brains of volunteers as they tasted beer a very small amount of beer, and again as they tasted Gatorade. They found that when participants drank beer their brain scan showed significantly more dopamine activity compared to when they drank the Gatorade. Dopamine is a feel-good chemical the brain releases in its reward centers.

What was that?...you didn't get an accurate reading?? Pour me another and we'll try this again!