Latest news about BBC Radio 4

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%...

Festive Highlights for 2018 on BBC Radio

BBC Radio has today announced its on-air highlights for the festive period. Bob Shennan, BBC Director of Radio & Music, says: “This Christmas BBC Radio will offer an unrivalled collection of programmes featuring the finest DJs, musicians and actors. Across our stations, teams have curated brilliant schedules with world-class talent - all of which are available on BBC Sounds.”

Radio 4 presents the world premiere of Alex Mackendrick’s Mary Queen of Scots featuring Glenda Jackson

Narration from multi award-winning actor Glenda Jackson; Bafta Breakthrough Brit director, Hope Dickson Leach; and a performance from rising star, Ellie Bamber - late film director Alex Mackendrick’s unmade movie Mary Queen of Scots airs on Radio 4 on Saturday 8 December. The screenplay follows the tragic life of 16th century monarch, Mary Stuart; from exile to reign, to demise, and was developed with Jay Presson-Allen...

New comedy programmes commissioned for BBC Radio 4

Radio 4 has announced some new comedy commissions, with programmes from new talent and well known favourites. Getting new slots are Suggs, Bridget Christie, Twayna Mayne, Joe Lycett, Tom Allen, Rowan Atkinson, Geoff Norcott and Joanna Lumley. Here are just some of the programmes announced by Sioned Wiliam, Commissioning Editor for Radio 4 comedy:...

RAJAR Q3 2018: Record share of 52.4% for digital radio

Digital listening share has remained above the important halfway mark and increased from 48.8% to 52.4% in the last 12 months. Total digital listening hours grew by 5.4% year on year, or 27.5 million hours. DAB listening in cars accounted for 11 million hours (or 40%) of all digital listening growth, while listening in home via online/Apps accounted for 13.5 million hours (or 49%) of all digital listening growth.

RAJAR Q3 2018: London and national brands update

Nick Grimshaw left the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show with half a million more listeners than a year ago – handing them to Greg James who took over the show halfway through the last quarter. The show now attracts 5.75m listeners (Mon – Fri) and is up 465,000 Year on Year. In London, Capital is back on top with almost 2,100,000 listeners according to Reach in the London commercial radio battle, as Kiss slips back under the 2m listener mark (1,958,000). Magic is in third place (1.5m) whilst Heart comes in 4th (1.4m). But BBC Radio 4 continues to lead the London Reach with 2.4m listeners.

Audio and Radio Industry Awards 2018 – winners

Podcasters, local radio and the independent sector challenged the big networked radio groups at this year’s Audio & Radio Industry Awards, picking up some of the evening’s biggest awards. The ceremony at the first direct Arena in Leeds saw podcasters picking up three of the big awards on the night, with Best New Show going to You, Me & the Big C; Best Specialist Music Show was won by Edith Bowman with her podcast, Soundtracking and Best Sports Show was...

Jameela Jamil to present new Radio 4 programme on sex and consent

This autumn BBC Radio 4 will broadcast three new programmes examining sexuality and consent in the modern age. Two-part programme The New Age Of Consent will be hosted by actress and broadcaster Jameela Jamil and will look at recent explosive conversations around sexual assault whilst trying to determine what consent in sex and relationships should look like in a modern, digital world.

RAJAR Q2 2018: London and national brands update

Kiss has taken over from Capital as the biggest commercial radio station in London in the latest Q2/2018 RAJAR listening figures. Capital’s audience in the capital is down 10.8% year on year to 2.063m, while Kiss has had a great quarter, hitting 2.087m weekly listeners – 24,000 more than its rival. In third place is Magic (1.667m), which leapfrogs rival Heart this quarter (1.404m). LBC is in fifth on reach with 1.280m listeners in the capital (down 9.3% year on year).

Kylie Minogue leads BBC Music Day celebrations

Kylie Minogue is headlining the promotion of BBC Music Day 2018, which will be heard across BBC Radio on Friday 28th September. Gareth Malone and Jarvis Cocker are also amongst the famous names taking part in the event, featured on Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 3, Radio 4, 6 Music and local and regional stations. Kylie has recorded some music-related messages that will be played out at major rail stations on that day and...