Latest news about BBC Radio 1

Greg James to present his first show on BBC Radio 4 this May

Radio 1 Breakfast Show host Greg James will present a new series - Rewinder - on Radio 4 this May. This is the first time James has presented on Radio 4. In this new Saturday morning series Greg, who is a passionate radio enthusiast, digs deep into the BBC’s archives using current stories as a portal into the past. Each week he takes topical news events, talking points and trends, and tracks down audio from the past which might add to our understanding or make us reflect or laugh...

Greg James is stuck in the Radio 1 Escape Room

BBC Radio 1’s latest on-air promotion started on Monday morning and sees Greg James locked in a room needing help from listeners to get out. Greg was taken away from his breakfast show before 8am, blindfolded and put in the back of a van. He later emerged in a locked room with a keypad on the door, requiring a six-digit code to open.

Commercial radio ignored in Greatest Radio Shows list

The Radio Times has named what it considers to be the ’30 greatest radio shows of all time’ – but every single one is a BBC programme. The magazine’s new edition contains a six-page feature counting down the shows – from Radio 3’s Private Passions at number 30 to Desert Island Discs at number 1. But the feature has attracted criticism that no commercial radio shows are included. Former radio executive John Myers wrote on Twitter: “I’m sorry, but this is the most insulting and ill informed article on radio I’ve read in a long time."...

Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Greg James increases listeners by more than 300,000

The Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Greg James has increased listeners by more than 300,000 in his first full quarter. Latest Rajar data shows since Greg James started on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show, there has been an increase of listeners aged 10+ to 5.59m (Monday-Thursday), from 5.28m last quarter. The same period (17 September-16 December 2018) has also seen a record for digital listening, with the proportion of digital listening now at 52.6%...

Fearne Cotton gets Radio 2 Breakfast cover job

Fearne Cotton will deputise for Zoe Ball when she takes holidays from the Radio 2 breakfast show, with comedian Matt Lucas looking after the show on Bank Holidays. Zoe announced the news this morning, with Fearne coming in to the studio for a chat about it as well as talking about hosting Popmaster and how Fearne used to be a big fan of Live & Kicking.

Young ARIAS awards now open for entries

The Young ARIAS, a new awards scheme celebrating radio and audio created by under 18s are now open for entries. Both the BBC and commercial stations will begin promoting the awards from Monday encouraging school radio stations, podcasts, homemade audio projects, community and hospital radio contributors and DJs to enter their work.

Zoe Ball on taking over Radio 2’s Breakfast Show: “I’ve got my work cut out – but I’m ready for it”

She may have had missed a few early stars during her Radio 1 present days, but Radio 2's new breakfast show host says she's 'not the same Zoe from 20 years ago'. When Zoe Ball finished her final Radio 1 breakfast show in 2000, after two-and-a-half years of burning the candle at both ends...

The week in radio and podcasts: Lauren Laverne; Mary Anne Hobbs; Shaun Keaveny

New year, new regime. Radio 2 starts its big shake-up on 14 January, with Zoe Ball and Sara Cox sliding into their fresh weekday time slots of breakfast and drivetime respectively: expect tabloid coverage and on-air laffs. Radio 1’s Charlie Sloth bowed out from the station in October, with the young yet experienced Tiffany Calver taking over his 9pm Saturday night Rap Show slot, and Rickie, Melvin and Charlie, ex-Kiss FM, due to start in his weekday evening The 8th slot soon...

Greatest Hits Radio launches with new line-up

Greatest Hits Radio has launched on FM, AM and DAB in a number of regions across England, with Mark Goodier joining the network for a daily programme. The former BBC Radio 1 and Smooth Radio presenter will present the mid-morning show, and joins a team of presenters already established on the network. Here’s how the schedule looks each weekday in England:...

Tom Green & Daisy Maskell to host KISS Breakfast

KISS evening presenter Tom Green and 4Music television presenter Daisy Maskell are the new hosts of KISS Breakfast. Tom and Daisy will replace Rickie, Melvin & Charlie who are leaving the Bauer station after a decade to join BBC Radio 1. As a result of Tom moving to breakfast, Tyler West will take over the evening show, all from January.