Latest news about BBC Radio 1

Jackie Brambles to host Greatest Hits Radio series

The latest Audio Content Fund includes funding a four-part series called Greatest Brits with Jackie Brambles for Greatest Hits Radio. The former BBC Radio 1 host and current BBC Radio Scotland presenter will celebrate 80s and 90s British female artists in the run-up to the 2021 BRIT Awards. It’s one of many projects awarded money in the latest round, bringing the total to £1.7m in the past year. The projects will broadcast across more than 120 different radio stations and will be produced by 19 different independent production companies...

Eight new presenters get BBC Radio 1 opportunity

Eight of the presenters given a one-off show over the 2020 festive period at Radio 1 are returning to host a month of Early Friday Breakfast shows. Dean McCullough, Rakeem Omar, Danni Diston, Sam MacGregor, Darcy Kelly, Alex West, Numi Gildert and Robyn Richford will host the programme over the coming months. First up will be 28-year-old Dean McCullough, who will take on Friday Early Breakfast in April. Originally from Belfast and now based in Manchester, Dean started out volunteering at Wandsworth Radio in 2016 before landing a show on Gaydio, where he currently hosts the breakfast show...

Scott Mills and Chris Stark bring back the LOLathon

Scott Mills and Chris Stark are hosting another 24 hour LOLathon on BBC Radio 1 for Red Nose Day 2021. The afternoon presenters have done it twice before, with the first one in 2017 causing a few complaints to Ofcom for the middle of the night sex hour and non-innuendo bingo. This year, Radio 1’s LOLathon kicks off on Friday 5th March at 8am and continues until Friday 12 March culminating in the 24-hour marathon show hosted by Scott Mills and Chris Stark. The marathon will commence at 9am on Thursday 11 March and will continue until 9am the following day...

David Kid Jensen gets six part series on Jazz FM

Kid Jensen is joining the team at Jazz FM to host a six-part series about his love for jazz music and to highlight the work of Parkinson’s UK. The former BBC Radio 1, Radio 2, Capital FM, The Jazz and Smooth Radio presenter, who is also an ambassador of Parkinson’s UK, starts his weekly show on Sunday 21st February. Of his new Jazz FM show and passion for the music he will play, David says: “I made my BOAC maiden flight in 1968, landing in London with a toothbrush and a pocket full of dreams and I used to love strolling down Wardour Street, loving venues like Revolution, Ronnie Scott’s, The Cromwellian and the Speakeasy...

Vernon Kay to host Super Bowl LV on BBC Radio 5 Live

The Super Bowl is back on BBC Radio 5 Live for the first time in five years with a new show hosted by Vernon Kay. Live radio coverage of the showdown between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs begins this Sunday at 11pm on 5 Live and BBC Sounds. BBC One will also provide live TV coverage from 11.30pm. Vernon Kay, a frequent visitor to Super Bowl as a fan and broadcaster, is also a former player himself with the London Warriors. His last regular radio show was with Radio X four years ago but he’s also covering on BBC Radio 2 at the moment...

BBC Radio 1’s Clara Amfo made ambassador at Dulux

Clara Amfo has been unveiled as the ambassador for the Dulux Colour of the Year 2021, Brave Ground. She says: ““I love the colour of Brave Ground and what it symbolises. It’s Mother Earth, our roots. It’s perfect for this year as it makes us feel more connected to where we live.” Clara has been doing up her home recently by adding a bit of Brave Ground paint, which Dulux interestingly told us about in a press release today. “In my daily life I’m surrounded by noise, by music, so I love those moments of peace, of being able to chill out. And Brave Ground definitely helps me to do that.” ...

Nadia Jae gets breakfast full-time on BBC Radio 1Xtra

Nadia Jae is the new permanent host of the BBC Radio 1Xtra breakfast show after covering the programme since Dotty left in July. Nadia first joined 1Xtra in 2018 as part of 1Xtra’s Residency and has since risen up the ranks, from presenting 1Xtra’s Weekend Breakfast show, to temporarily hosting weekday mornings on the station since August. Nadia Jae says: “After four months of covering I have fallen in love with The 1Xtra Breakfast Show, and I’m proud to officially call it mine! “The show is the spearhead of the station and I can’t thank management, production, my fellow presenters and the listeners enough for making me feel at home...

BFBS to broadcast via BBC Radio 1 on Christmas Day

BBC Radio 1 is teaming up with BFBS on Christmas Day to give troops the opportunity to send Christmas messages to their families and friends in the UK. Four one hour shows from 10am till 2pm will broadcast from military bases in Cyprus, Germany, Brunei, Gibraltar and Bahrain, with each featuring messages from members of the forces and some surprise guests. All shows will be hosted by BFBS presenters – Akylah Rodriguez and Ben Coley will kick off the takeover at 10am from Cyprus, followed by Elliot Darby and Rosie Da Costa broadcasting from Germany between 11am and midday...

Nation Radio UK reveals weekday presenter line-up

Mike Read, Russ Williams, Neil Francis, Neil Fox and Dean Martin are leading the programme schedule for Nation Radio UK. The team of well-known presenters will be on the station from launch day – 4th January 2021 – on a number of local DAB multiplexes. It’ll be available initially in London, Scotland, the North West and the South Coast as well as the usual online places. Former BBC Radio 1 Breakfast presenter Mike Read says: “Unbelievable! Someone’s let the Jocks out. The boys are back in town…and we know how to do radio. We love the music, we have the passion, and we know how to entertain.” ...

Former Radio 1 host Dev Griffin is joining Heart

Dev Griffin will join Heart in January just weeks after leaving BBC Radio 1 at the end of December. Dev’s last show at the BBC, where he has been for the last 18 years, is on December 20th, and he’ll start on Heart January 2nd 2021. He’ll be on the Heart network every Saturday afternoon from 12pm till 4pm replacing Zoe Hardman who moves to Saturday breakfast in addition to her Sunday morning show. Andy Everett, Managing Editor of Heart, said: “Dev is a huge talent and we’re over the moon to welcome him to Heart. He brings a fresh new sound to weekends on Heart and I’m sure our listeners will instantly connect with him...