Latest news about BBC Radio 4

BBC Radio 4 says sorry for sweary technical interuption

The BBC has apologised for a technical error which put a production studio live on-air over the top of You and Yours at BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday afternoon. An unannounced reporter can be heard on the microphone commenting about the temperature of the studio, offering the F word before voicing a report. The presenter on-air at the time, Winifred Robinson, continued without acknowledging the interruption. Winifred later said sorry for the swearing due to the “cross lines at the start of the programme”.

Chris Mason is the next host of Radio 4’s Any Questions?

BBC Political Correspondent Chris Mason has been appointed the next host of Radio 4’s Any Questions? From this autumn Chris will host Radio 4’s weekly debate programme. Each Friday evening a panel of people from the world of politics, media and elsewhere answer questions on the biggest topics of the week from an audience in a different part of the UK. Jonathan Dimbleby, who hosted the programme for thirty two years, stepped down in June. Chris Mason says: “I’m beyond excited to be the next host of...

BBC Radio 4 brings The Kinks’ Arthur to life in new drama

In the year of its 50th anniversary, The Kinks’ album Arthur (Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire) has been transformed into an audio drama for BBC Radio 4. Arthur has been adapted by The Kinks frontman and modern music icon Ray Davies himself, alongside Olivier-nominated playwright, dramaturg and musician Paul Sirett. The story - of both the drama and the original album - sees a close-knit, working-class family torn apart when Ray's brother-in-law, Arthur, decides to move his family half way around the world to Australia.

BBC Radio 5 Live appoints Heidi Dawson as Controller

Heidi Dawson has been appointed as the new Controller of BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Live Sports Extra. Heidi is currently Managing Editor of BBC Radio 5 Live and becomes Controller with immediate effect. She succeeds Jonathan Wall who was appointed as Controller of BBC Sounds in July 2019. Heidi started her career in local radio at BBC Radio Solent before working as a journalist on BBC Radio 4’s World At One and PM. She moved to BBC Radio 5 Live in 2001 as a Breakfast show producer; she has produced and edited most...

Bob Harris returns to BBC Radio 2 Country Show

Bob Harris will be back on BBC Radio 2 to host his country show from September 19th 2019. He announced in June that he’d be taking a few weeks off to recover from an aortic dissection, and a number of people have been covering the show ever since. In his first show back, he will be joined in session by guitarist and singer Molly Tuttle, who Bob hails as “one of the greatest performers in the world at this moment.” Bob Harris said: “I am so happy to be returning to Radio 2. Following my aortic dissection at the beginning of the summer the past few months have been amongst the toughest of my life, but I am now fit again and raring to go.

The Sound Odyssey with Gemma Cairney returns to BBC Radio 4

Loyle Carner, Kate Stables of This is the Kit, Nubya Garcia and Roxanne Tataei feature in the second series of BBC Radio 4’s The Sound Odyssey. TV and radio presenter, Gemma Cairney, will once again accompany four contemporary musicians to locations across the world as they collaborate with local artists; creating a new piece of music especially for the programme. Gemma Cairney says: “Making The Sound Odyssey, I’m left ever inspired by the beautiful human connection created through music...

Record listening figures for Greg James and Dotty on Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra

Latest Rajar data (Q2 2019, 1 April - 23 June 2019) shows Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra have drawn in more listeners each week. BBC Radio 1 had a weekly reach of 10.56 million listeners aged 10+, an increase from 10.18m last quarter and 10.25m last year. BBC Radio 1Xtra also saw increases this quarter, with 1.17 million weekly listeners (10+) up on 1.13m last quarter and 1.11m last year. Highest number of listeners for Radio 1 Breakfast with Greg James as he adds a quarter of a million new listeners since he started last year...

RAJAR Q2 2019: London and national brands round-up

Zoe Ball has lost more than three quarters of a million listeners to her BBC Radio 2 breakfast show, according to the latest audience research from RAJAR. The show’s reach is down 781,000 quarter-on-quarter to 8.266m for the three months survey period up to the 23rd June 2019. In Q1/19 she had 9.047m listeners; in Q2/2018 Chris Evans reached 9.038m. Radio 2’s audience at breakfast is now the lowest its been since Q3/2010, when Evans was fairly new in the job.

Nadiya Hussain, Dany Cotton, Harriet Wistrich, Amika George and Cressida Cowell to takeover BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour

BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour Takeover returns, where five incredible women each choose the content for one edition of Woman’s Hour from 22-26 July 2019. The line-up across the week is cook, author and television presenter Nadiya Hussain; retiring Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, Dany Cotton; activist Amika George; the lawyer who represented victims of the ‘black cab rapist’ John Worboys and founder of The Centre of Women’s Justice, Harriet Wistrich; and Children’s Laureate and author of the How to Train Your Dragon series, Cressida Cowell...

Kirsty Young steps down from Desert Island Discs

Kirsty Young is leaving BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs after 12 years as host. Since 2006, Kirsty has presented 496 episodes of the programme as well as fronting the programme’s 70th and 75th anniversary celebrations. Lauren Laverne, who has been hosting the show in recent months, will continue to host Desert Island Discs for the foreseeable future as planned. Kirsty Young said: “After 12 incredibly happy and fulfilling years on Desert Island Discs I’ve decided to step down permanently.