Latest news about BBC 1Xtra

BBC launches search for best new spoken word artists in lockdown

BBC Radio 1Xtra and BBC Asian Network have launched Words First alongside BBC Arts and Contains Strong Language Festival, aiming to discover the best emerging spoken word artists from across the UK. Working together with poetry organisations across the country, the Words First scheme is looking for people who are passionate about spoken word in any form. From rappers and MCs to poets and lyricists, anyone with an interest in developing their spoken word skills can apply from 29 May until 19 June 2020. In previous years, shortlisted artists would attend regional workshops in person...

What does the BBC’s Annual Plan say about Radio?

OPINION: The BBC is required to publish its annual plan each year. Just as with every broadcaster, however – and every industry – this year’s is atypical. Even when the COVID crisis abates, life will never be the same again. My notes here focus largely on radio, but it is worth citing the general headlines from the report, which bear out Ofcom’s latest research published yesterday: “As social distancing began in the UK in the third week of March, pan-BBC reach among adults peaked at 94%. That is: 94% of the British public used the BBC that week. 86% of young adults aged 16-34 used the BBC that week, up from 77% the week before”...

Radio 1 makes Stay Home Live Lounge to raise money

BBC Radio 1 is to record its biggest ever Live Lounge for charity amid the coronavirus crisis, featuring Dua Lipa, Chris Martin, AJ Tracey, Rita Ora, Ellie Goulding and more. The Stay Home Live Lounge will be broadcast for the first time across Radio 1, Radio 2, 1Xtra, 6Music and Asian Network from midday on Thursday 23 April and will see some of the music industry’s biggest stars collaborate on a cover of Foo Fighters’ ‘Times Like These’ to raise money for charities, with the accompanying video to receive its world exclusive premiere during BBC One’s The Big Night In...

BBC Radio stations unite for Great British Singalong

The BBC’s national music stations are uniting on Thursday for the Great British Singalong designed to lift the nation’s spirits. BBC Radio 1, Radio 2, 6 Music, 1Xtra and the Asian Network will come together at 9am this Thursday, with each station bringing along one song that they think the public will love to join in with, wherever they are. Greg James will be leading the singalong on Radio 1 with Dermot O’Leary (who is covering for Zoe Ball) on Radio 2, Lauren Laverne on 6 Music, Dotty on 1Xtra, and Harpz Kaur on the Asian Network. Ahead of Thursday morning, each station will be asking their listeners which track they should bring to the singalong, but the final song choices will lie with each of the presenters...

Audio and Radio Industry Awards 2020 – Winners

The winners at the Audio and Radio Industry Awards 2020 have been revealed at an event at the London Palladium. The BBC took home 17 awards including Emma Barnett for Best Speech Presenter on BBC Radio 5 Live, Radio 1 Breakfast with Greg James for Best New Show, The 1Xtra Breakfast Show with Dotty forBest Music Breakfast Show and Elis James and John Robins for Funniest Show on BBC Radio 5 Live. Bauer Media radio brands were recognised on the night with Absolute Radio winning Gold for their coverage for Mental Health Awareness Week as well as their regional station Forth 1 who won Best Local Radio Show...

Shortlist out for Audio and Radio Industry Awards 2020

The shortlist for this year’s Radio Academy’s ARIAs have been announced at an event at News UK headquarters in London. Presenters getting nominated include Chris Evans, Greg James, Stephen Nolan, Zoe Ball and Frank Skinner. Bauer leads the Commercial Radio nominees with just over two dozen, whilst we count that News UK has around 15. Global isn’t mentioned due to not submitting any entries once again this year. The rest of the shortlist includes newspapers, independent podcasts, independent producers and presenters, along with a few local radio stations including...

BBC Radio 1 announces 35 lucky presenters getting a one-off show

BBC Radio 1 received over a thousand entries after asking for demos from anyone with any radio experience back in October. Among those taking a step away from their day jobs to host on Radio 1 are Jessica Maciel, a tattoo studio owner from Dublin, Dave Holt, a shop manager from Birkenhead, and Stuart Millar, a PhD student and research engineer from Belfast. Joining them is 21 year-old Gregor Davidson from Aberdeen, who will present on Radio 1 on Boxing Day, marking exactly one year to the day since he hosted his first ever radio...

RAJAR Q3 2019: London and national brands round-up

Zoe Ball has lost another 364,000 listeners to her BBC Radio 2 breakfast show in the latest radio listening figures from RAJAR. It means more than a million weekly listeners have switched off since she took over the breakfast show from Chris Evans in January. In the period 24th June to 15th September 2019 (Q3/2019), Radio 2 breakfast had a weekly reach of 7.902m – that’s down from 8.266m in Q2 and 9.047m in Q1.While Zoe is still the presenter of the UK’s biggest breakfast show, the figures are the lowest for the slot in a decade – since...

1Xtra Live event cancelled after Police incident

BBC Radio 1Xtra cancelled its Live event in Birmingham on Saturday night after a man was slashed during a backstage incident. West Midlands Police tweeted about the situation, saying the Arena Birmingham alerted them to an assault which took place in the backstage area at 10pm on Saturday. They said: “It’s understood that a man sustained a slash wound during the assault. He was treated by on-site medical staff and did not require hospital treatment.”

BBC Radio 1Xtra announces shake up to weekend schedule

BBC Radio 1Xtra has unveiled changes to its weekend schedule to take effect this autumn. • Former 1Xtra Resident Nadia Jae will take on the Weekend Breakfast show • Sideman will host a brand new show in the Saturday lunchtime slot • Sundays on the station will become home to 1Xtra Old Skool Nadia Jae will take the reins on 1Xtra’s Weekend Breakfast show (6-10am) from mid-October. Nadia, who joined the station in 2018 as part of 1Xtra’s Residency, will be bringing plenty of fun and energy to the morning slot, along with the best R&B bangers and a healthy serving of tea to get listeners through the weekend.