Latest news about BBC Radio 1

Breakfast with Greg James extended to 10.30 at BBC Radio 1

Greg James is getting a new time slot of 7am till 10.30am as BBC Radio 1 returns to a new regular schedule from 1st September. The new schedule means Clara Amfo’s show will move to 10.30am – 1pm, followed by Scott Mills from 1 – 3.30pm and Nick Grimshaw from 3.30 – 6pm. Radio 1’s Future Sounds with Annie Mac moving forward an hour to a new 6 – 8pm slot with the Hottest Record in the World feature moving from 7.30pm to the start of the show at 6pm. Rickie, Melvin and Charlie will now host 8pm till 10pm and a brand new show, Radio 1’s Future Artists with...

BBC Radio 1 puts corona blimp above Cardiff

BBC Radio 1’s Up Yours Corona promotion has taken a new turn today with a blimp emblazoned with the slogan on appearing above Cardiff. Photographed 60 metres in the air this morning from the grounds of Cardiff Castle, the blimp’s flight commenced as the search to find 193 people from 193 countries enters its final 24 hours. Led by Greg James, the station wants people from all over the world to deliver their ‘up yours’ on Radio 1 in time for the end of the breakfast show (10am) on Wednesday 29 July...

Greg James and Radio 1 say Up Yours Corona

BBC Radio 1 has launched a search to find one person from every country in the world to tell Coronavirus to do one. Led by Greg James, the station will attempt to find one person from every country on earth to send a big ‘up yours’ to Coronavirus using a phrase with a similar meaning in their own country. All Radio 1 shows across the week will be supporting Greg and calling on listeners around the world for help tracking people down to take part. The station will aim to find 193 people from 193 countries to deliver their ‘up yours’ on Radio 1 in time for the end of the breakfast show (10am) on Wednesday 29 July...

UK Afrobeats Chart to launch on BBC Radio 1Xtra

A new countdown is heading to BBC Radio 1Xtra this weekend with the launch of the Official UK Afrobeats Chart. The Top 20 weekly rundown will spotlight the fast rising Afrobeats scene in the UK, initiated by the Afro Nation festival and compiled by the Official Charts Company. It will use UK sales and streaming data from over 9,000 outlets, incorporating audio and video streams, downloads and physical sales. The very first chart will be unveiled in a special The Official UK Afrobeats Show on BBC Radio 1Xtra on Sunday 26th July from 1pm-3pm, featuring a range of hosts and artists from around the world...

Becky Hill, Jax Jones, Disclosure, RAYE, Carl Cox and more announced for BBC Radio 1’s Dance Weekend, joining the station’s mammoth 70 hour celebration of dance music

The full line up for Radio 1’s Dance Weekend has been unveiled, with Becky Hill, Jax Jones, Disclosure, RAYE, Carl Cox and more set to perform for the event between 31 July - 2 August 2020. Radio 1’s Dance Weekend will be saving the summer by bringing together some of the biggest names in dance music for a three-day celebration packed with over 70 hours of dance music on Radio 1. Fans can join the party across radio, TV, social media and online over what would have been Radio 1’s annual weekend in Ibiza...

Presenter Alice Levine leaves BBC Radio 1

Alice Levine has announced she is leaving BBC Radio 1 after nine years at the station. Her last programme will be on Sunday 9th August after which Dev and Jordan North will share the Friday to Sunday 11am to 3pm slot. Alice has thanked people she has worked with at the station via an Instagram post, saying the time is right to hang up her headphones and say goodbye to Radio 1. She has also hinted at joining a new station saying listeners will be able to contact her on a new number soon, rather than the BBC Radio 1 text number 81199...

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...

Annie Mac: ‘I'm happy in chaos and noise’

Annie Mac is not your average DJ. Through her Radio 1 show and hit podcast, she has championed new music and is not afraid to tackle grittier subjects such as misogyny in rap and knife crime. Laura Snapes finds out what drives her and the secret of her self-confidence. Annie Mac is busy doing her homework when I reach her by video one morning in early May. She’s due to give her weekly “rave lesson” on fellow BBC Radio 1 presenter Nick Grimshaw’s teatime show (today’s subject: the week-long Castlemorton party of 1992). I had wondered if these lessons were a sneaky way of teaching teenagers how to kickstart parties in the wreckage of...

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”...

Maya Jama leaves BBC Radio 1 after two years

Weekend morning show presenter Maya Jama has left BBC Radio 1 after deciding not to renew her contract. She joined the station in 2018 and has most recently been hosting 10am-1pm on Friday and Saturdays. During the coronavirus schedules the weekend mornings slot has been on a 3-week changing cylce between Maya, Jordan North and Dev & Alice. Radio 1 says Jordan, Dev and Alice will continue to do the show in rotation. It means Maya’s final show on the station was Sunday 3rd May. The BBC says ‘exciting commitments later in the year’ mean she’s not able to dedicate the time needed to her show...