Latest news about BBC Local Radio

BBC local radio reinvents Make a Difference

BBC Local radio is relaunching the Make a Difference: Give a Laptop campaign to help provide access to laptops and devices for children and young people in need. The network is asking for people with old laptops or tablets to donate them to help pupils still in need of a digital device. From today, all 39 local radio stations launched the campaign on-air by providing details of specialist charities across the country that will safely wipe donated devices before distributing them to local schools. Chris Burns, Head of BBC Local Radio comments...

New shows and presenters at BBC Radio Wales

BBC weather presenter Behnaz Akhgar is joining BBC Radio Wales as the new presenter of the afternoon programme, Monday to Thursday 2-5pm, with Eleri Sion continuing on Fridays. Behnaz said: “I am beyond excited to be part of the new BBC Radio Wales line up. I’m really looking forward to spending more time with the listeners, nice chats and great music.” Following the untimely death of much-loved Radio Wales presenter Chris Needs earlier this year, January sees the launch of The Late Show with Eleri Sion, Monday to Thursday 10pm – 12.30am. Eleri will be joined by long-time member of the BBC Radio Wales team and husband of the late Chris Needs, Gabe Cameron.

BBC local stations create a singalong with McFly

BBC Local Radio is teaming up with boy band McFly to create a special version of their hit Happiness. All 39 stations across England are calling up on audiences in bubbles to take part in the live singalong to help raise funds for BBC Children in Need. Listeners are being asked to tune in to any local station at 10am on Monday 9th November to sing along with the radio to the song, film it, and upload clips to the BBC Make A Difference website. A montage will then be made to be played on Children in Need night. Regional BBC TV News programmes and local radio stations will also share the uploaded clips on their social media platforms...

Joanna Page to host Sundays on BBC Radio Wales

Welsh actress Joanna Page is to present her own Sunday morning show on BBC Radio Wales, starting 18 October. Sunday Morning With Joanna Page will be her first ever radio show, following her titular role in the BBC comedy. The mother-of-three from Swansea, well know for her role in Gavin & Stacey, says: “I’m really excited about my new series on Radio Wales and look forward to just gossiping. Because the Welsh talk like nobody else. You can expect lots of good music, a sprinkling of showbiz, interesting stories and lots of gossip and chat. “I’ve never done anything like this before but we all know I’m a bit of a talker! I’m just going to imagine that I’m chatting to my best friend. You don’t know what I’m going to say – so you better tune in and listen!” ...

Winners announced at Irish radio awards event

Five radio stations in Northern Ireland picked up awards at the All-Ireland radio awards, the IMROs, last Friday. BBC Radio Ulster, BBC Radio Foyle, Q Radio and Cool FM/Downtown were recognised in various categories. Broadcaster Stephen Nolan won Best Interactive Speech Programme whilst John Toal got the Specialist Music Broadcaster of the Year award. Q Radio’s Connor Brennan won Gold for Newcomer of the Year whilst Cool FM/Downtown Radio’s Sarah McKinley won Silver...

Alex Jones joins BBC Radio Wales weekends

The One Show’s Alex Jones is joining BBC Radio Wales to host a new weekend show. Alex says: “I’m so excited to get my headphones back on for BBC Radio Wales and to play some of my favourite songs. “There is something so special about radio – the connection you can have with the listeners and there’s something extra special about talking to people in Wales.” So far the “Sunday Morning with…” slot has been presented by a series of Welsh names which have included Keeping Faith star Eve Myles, presenter Carol Vorderman, athlete Colin Jackson, actress Suzanne Packer and broadcaster Anna Ryder Richardson...

BBC Radio 5 Live takes overnights back from Local Radio

Dotun Adebayo is starting his new role as 5 Live’s weekday overnight presenter from next week – three months later than originally planned. Dotun was announced earlier this year as the replacement for the departing Rhod Sharp, and was due to take over the Monday to Friday 1am-5am slot from the start of April. But the Coronavirus pandemic meant that instead he has been hosting overnight shows for BBC Radio London, which the rest of the BBC Local Radio network – as well as 5 Live – have been opting in to...

Comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean joins BBC Radio Wales

Welsh comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean is hosting a new radio programme on BBC Radio Wales. The station says Kiri will provide great music, entertainment and company for your Saturday afternoons for the next seven weeks. Kiri said; “I cannot wait to start my show on BBC Radio Wales. It’s Saturday afternoon so perfect listening for people in the car off to do the big shop and people doing the walk of shame – my ideal audience!” Joining Kiri will be an array of special guests across the seven weeks, kicking off with fellow comedians Stephen Bailey (Live at the Apollo) and Tez Ilyas (Man Like Mobeen)...

BBC Local Radio to showcase creative work in Upload Festival

BBC Local Radio is to team up to broadcast a weekend festival featuring comedy, spoken word and drama from budding creatives around England. The Upload Festival over the weekend of 19th to 21st June will include a main performance at 9pm each night across all 39 local radio stations in England and the Channel Islands, which will also be available to watch in-vision online. Acts will appear live via webcam from home or as recorded videos of their sketches or performances...

5 Live and talkSPORT to broadcast all remaining Premier League games

BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT have reached an agreement with the Premier League to enable football fans to listen to live commentary of all 92 remaining top-flight matches when the season resumes later this month. No two fixtures will be at the same time for the first week after the competition resumes, meaning full match commentary of every match can be broadcast across both radio and TV initially. When matches are played concurrently they will air across 5 Live, 5 Live Sports Extra, talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2. talkSPORT‘s ‘GameDay’ will return to Saturdays with the station securing the rights to broadcast the matches at 12.30pm, 3pm, 5.30pm and 7.45/8pm. It will also cover some of the Sunday and weekday evening games...