Latest news about BBC Radio 5 Live

RAJAR Q1 2020: London and national brands roundup

BBC Radio 2 has lost almost a million listeners in the last year, according to the Q1/2020 audience research from RAJAR. The reach of the UK’s biggest radio station fell from 15.356m at the start of 2019 to 14.362m over the first three months of this year. The two biggest commercial radio networks – Heart and Capital – both lost significant reach over the 12 months too. The Heart network lost 787,000 listeners to leave a reach of 7.737m, while Capital dropped 815,000 to 6.386m. When you add in the other Heart and Capital branded stations – 70s, 80s, 90s, Dance, Xtra and Xtra Reloaded – the Heart brand reaches 9.365m and the Capital brand 7.502m...

Winners announced for Young Audio Awards 2020

All the winners from this year’s Young Audio Awards have been announced during an online awards ceremony hosted from home by Award Ambassadors Matt Edmondson and Mollie King from BBC Radio 1. They were joined by special guests including Annie Mac presenting Best in Music to 15-year-old Oli Hackett, whose show, Musicals My Way, is syndicated from his home in Corby and airs across 43 different radio stations around the world, including in the USA and Spain. Other presenters included TV and BBC Radio 2 presenter Rylan, BBC Radio 5 Live’s Laura Whitmore, singer and Hits Radio Breakfast presenter Fleur East, KISS FM’s Tyler West and Swarzy, and BBC Radio 1’s Greg James...

5 Live Sport boss Mike Carr departs BBC after 18 years

The Editor of 5 Live Sport, Mike Carr, has left the BBC after 18 years, with staff told his immediate departure was to ‘avoid any potential conflict of interest’. He has been overseeing the station’s sports output since 2011, having previously worked as an Assistant Editor and Producer in BBC Radio Sport – which he joined in 2002. Before joining the BBC he’d worked in roles at Trinity Mirror and ITN. Ben Gallop, Head of Radio & Digital at BBC Sport, told staff in an email: “Mike is leaving to pursue an opportunity outside the BBC. To avoid any potential conflict of interest we have agreed it is best for Mike to leave with immediate effect. He goes with our best wishes and our thanks for all his work over many years for BBC Sport...

BBC racing correspondent bows out with 5 Live special

BBC Radio 5 Live has broadcast an hour-long special featuring Cornelius Lysaght, who’s leaving the corporation this week after almost 30 years. In the programme presented by Steve Crossman, the BBC racing correspondent picked his 10 favourite moments from horse racing over the last three decades – and was joined by BBC Radio horse racing commentator John Hunt to talk through the highlights. “Since I started in August 1990, the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot have been staged 29 times each and there have been 28 Grand Nationals and 146 Classic races – and that’s just in Britain,” he wrote on the BBC Sport website...

Aasmah Mir leaves Radio 4’s Saturday Live after six years

BBC Radio 4 Saturday Live presenter Aasmah Mir has hosted her final edition of the show, after announcing her departure on social media. She signed off with co-host Reverend Richard Coles this morning (Saturday) after almost six years on the show. Rev Coles told listeners she was leaving for “fresh fields and pastures new” and joked he would hang a “tribute plaque on the office wall as soon I can get to Wilko’s again”. Aasmah said: “This is my last programme, it’s been almost six years and it’s time to move onto something new. Thank you so much to the programme team, the producers, the runners, the studio managers, to Richard, to everyone associated with the show – but especially to the listeners...

Andrew Flintoff joins talkSPORT for Breakfast

Former international cricketer Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff is joining talkSPORT to co-host Breakfast with Laura Woods Monday to Wednesday. Since retiring from cricket in 2010, Freddie has hosted several programmes on television and radio, including Top Gear and a weekly radio show on 5 Live. He also hosted a podcast with former footballer Robbie Savage and journalist and former table tennis professional Matthew Syed called Flintoff, Savage & The Ping Pong Guy and has won three Radio Academy Awards...

A Question of Sport finds new home on 5 Live

Long-running television sports quiz A Question of Sport is moving to radio as the coronavirus makes recording TV programmes almost impossible. Team captains Phil Tufnell and Matt Dawson will each be joined by one guest when the show starts on 5 Live this Saturday at 2pm. The series will be launching with four episodes initially. This Saturday Phil is joined by Dion Dublin and Karen Carney will be on Matt’s team. The programme will be made with all participants in their homes to observe social distancing guidelines...

Audio: Radio industry unites to thank the NHS

Radio stations all over the UK came together to thank NHS workers during the coronavirus pandemic. A mass applause, coordinated under the #clapforourcarers hashtag on social media, showed the country’s gratitude to all the nurses, doctors, GPs, carers and many others working tirelessly to help fight the virus. Industry body Radiocentre encouraged stations from every corner of the UK to take part, with stations including Heart, Capital, LBC, Hits Radio, Absolute Radio, BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2 and 5 Live, and Nation Radio, encouraged their millions of listeners to join the applause at their windows, front doors and balconies...

BBC Radio 5 Live to take Radio London overnight shows

BBC Radio 5 Live will take BBC Radio London’s overnight shows for the foreseeable future In a bid to prioritise its resources, RadioToday can reveal. And as all other BBC local stations currently take 5 Live overnight, they will also relay the programmes of BBC Radio London instead. Dotun Adebayo is the weekday overnight host on BBC Radio London from 1am till 4am, but he is scheduled to move to 5 Live from April 5th. It is unknown at this stage what will happen at that point, but it is presumed Radio London will continue with live programmes around the clock for the foreseeable...

Roman Kemp and Greg James retain TRIC awards

Roman Kemp has retained the Radio Programme award for Capital Breakfast whilst Greg James is once again voted best Radio Personality at the TRIC Awards. It’s the second year in a row both radio presenters have won the same award – see last year’s article. Roman’s dad Martin Kemp surprised Roman for his award him by presenting it to him on stage. 5 Live’s The Peter Crouch Podcast won Best Podcast. Television & Radio Industries Club event was held the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on Tuesday afternoon, which also handed out a number of awards for television programmes and personalities...