Latest news about BBC Radio 4

Two new presenters for BBC Radio 4’s Open Book

Elizabeth Day and Johny Pitts are the new presenters of BBC Radio 4’s Open Book. Elizabeth’s first programme will be Sunday 17 January and Johny’s on 31 January. Elizabeth is an author, journalist and broadcaster and the presenter of the podcast How To Fail. Her other broadcast work includes co-presenting Sky Arts Book Club Live. As an author Elizabeth has written six books, both fiction and non-fiction, including The Party and How To Fail: Everything I’ve Ever Learned from Things Going Wrong. She is a judge for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2021...

Anita Rani to host Woman’s Hour on BBC Radio 4

Anita Rani is to join BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour as presenter every Friday and Saturday. She joins alongside Emma Barnett, who became the show’s main host in early January. Anita is well known as one of the lead presenters on BBC One’s Countryfile, and has been a regular on Radio 2. Previously, Anita hosted weekend breakfast on BBC Asian Network and started her radio career at Sunrise Radio in Bradford when she was 14. Anita’s first programme will be Friday 15 January and she will present the Friday and Saturday editions of the programme...

Special guests line up for Just a Minute return

BBC Radio 4’s Just a Minute will have long-standing panellists Paul Merton and Gyles Brandreth, as well as Lucy Porter, Stephen Fry, Jo Brand and Nish Kumar in the host’s chair for a new series beginning in February. This series will see 10 guest presenters follow in the footsteps of Nicholas Parsons who died earlier this year. Each will take a turn to lead the comedy panel game and to uphold the tradition of attempting to talk for 60 seconds with no hesitation, repetition or deviation. Sioned Wiliam, Radio 4’s Commissioning Editor for Comedy says: “We’re delighted that this group of superbly talented guest hosts will be joining us to take part in the brilliant and much loved game that is Just a Minute...

UK radio stations set to cover US Election 2020

The biggest event of the year in US politics is set to be covered live by a number of radio stations in the UK this Tuesday. LBC, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5 Live and News Radio UK will all pause regular programmes for non-stop coverage from America. LBC’s special show starts at 10pm and will be in video as well as audio with Iain Dale and Shelagh Fogarty live from LBC’s new studios in Westminster. Tom Swarbrick will be live from the Election Hub at Global’s news centre in Leicester Square and Ben Kentish will swap Westminster for Washington, D.C. to provide the latest reaction and breaking news Stateside as the votes are declared...

BBC Radio 2 celebrates 50 years of pop performances

BBC Radio 2 is marking 50 years of pop music performances on the BBC with In Concert 50. From Fleetwood Mac and Bill Withers in the 70s to Craig David, Florence and the Machine and Sam Smith in the 21st Century, In Concert on the BBC in sound and vision has charted the history of popular music and this month of special archive shows and performances looks back across 50 years. From Sunday 1 November, all 50 performances are on BBC Sounds, with a special 10 artist Box Set available to watch on BBC iPlayer. BBC Four broadcasts Dido (Friday 30 October) and Seal (Friday 13 November) as TV-first In Concert exclusives. Dido performs at the BBC’s Maida Vale Studios from 2019...

Naga Munchetty replaces Emma Barnett at BBC Radio 5 Live

Naga Munchetty is taking over from Emma Barnett in the new year as host of the mid-morning programme on BBC Radio 5 Live. The well-known television presenter will be on-air Monday to Wednesday from 10am till 1pm after guest-presenting on the station over the summer. Naga has been a regular face on BBC Breakfast since 2009 and will continue on the programme alongside her work for 5 Live. Naga said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the 5 Live team. I have always wanted to work more in radio and after such an enjoyable experience presenting on the station recently, I jumped at this opportunity...

Woman’s Hour launches its 2020 Power List: Our Planet

Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour has launched the search for its 2020 Power List: Our Planet, looking for 30 women who are making a significant positive contribution to the environment or the sustainability of our planet. The List will be announced in a live programme on Monday 16 November, presented by Jane Garvey. The Power List: Our Planet will showcase inspirational initiatives and stories that are bringing about real change at all levels of society - from influencing global policy and changing human behaviour, to inventing eco-friendly products, spearheading scientific research, volunteering in community gardens, and inspiring a deep love of the natural world...

Emma Barnett to host BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour

BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Emma Barnett will be the main host of BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour from January 2021, replacing Jane Garvey. Emma will present the programme from Monday to Thursday each week, leaving her mid-morning 5 Live show at the end of the year. she’ll also continue in her role at Newsnight. Jane continues to present Woman’s Hour until the end of the year. Between October and December a number of other presenters will guest host in place of Jenni Murray whose last programme is on 1 October. Emma presented Woman’s Hour alongside Jane Garvey and Jenni Murray during the 2017 and 2019 General Elections and...

Launch date and schedule revealed for Times Radio

Times Radio will launch at 6am on Monday 29 June with Mariella Frostrup, Phil Williams, Carole Walker, Giles Coren and Hugo Rifkind joining the schedule. Former BBC Radio 4 presenter and Sky Book Show host Mariella Frostrup will be presenting afternoons, Monday to Thursday. 5 Live’s Phil Williams will host the evening slot, Monday to Thursday. TV and radio journalist Carole Walker, former BBC political correspondent will look after lates whilst Times columnist, restaurant critic and TV presenter Giles Coren will have a weekly Friday afternoon show...

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”...