Radio News

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...

Special Audio Content Fund round gives out £297k

Over 100 radio stations will get special programmes thanks to the latest awards from the Audio Content Fund. There were 19 projects this time around, which was a special round to combat Winter loneliness. The brief for the special round asked bidders to demonstrate how their idea would make listeners feel less lonely, and empower them to combat any loneliness they might be feeling due to lockdown restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The next Funding Round to be announced will be the Standard Round 6, with results in mid-March. So far, the Audio Content Fund has distributed £1.96m since it launched in April 2019...

Steve Harris has Twitter success with Russell Crowe

BBC Radio Solent’s Breakfast in Dorset presenter Steve Harris has been making headlines after a simple request on Twitter. He sent a message on Tuesday morning asking if anyone knows how he can get a reply from Russell Crowe. Steve wanted him to ask him if he’d record a birthday message for one of his listeners, who is currently sailing around the world in the Vendee Globe race, and happens to be a big fan of the actor...

Event to celebrate 40 years of Moray Firth Radio

The Radio Academy’s Scotland Branch is holding a virtual evening event to celebrate 40 years of MFR. Broadcaster Garry Spence will be joined by Susie Rose who recently released a book about the station called ‘Making Waves’, along with launch MD Thomas Prag, former Head of Radio for BBC Scotland Jeff Zycinski, and Grace Nicoll who presents the MFR Breakfast Show with Dan Gilchrist. Join them on their Facebook page on Tuesday 9th February at 7pm to hear stories from MFR’s past right through to the present day and discover just what it means to broadcast to such a unique part of the country...

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.” ...

Simon Mayo to host Drive on Greatest Hits Radio

Greatest Hits Radio Drivetime is going networked with Scala Radio presenter Simon Mayo joining the schedule full time from March 15th. He’ll leave his daily programme at Scala but stay for a weekend show, after two years in the mid-morning slot. Current regional Drivetime presenters on Greatest Hits Radio will move to the afternoon 1-4pm show, keeping its Ofcom obligation to provide at least three hours of regional programmes each weekday. The exception being Greatest Hits Radio NW Drivetime presenter Darren Proctor who moves to 7-10pm on the network, replacing Rick Houghton who is leaving Bauer...

BBC local radio listeners donate 17,500 devices

The BBC’s Make A Difference: Give A Laptop campaign has seen 17,645 devices donated since its launch on January 7, with a further 30,000 devices pledged by businesses across England. Radio stations have been directing listeners to the local charities collecting devices in their area via the Make a Difference website for individual donations. Meanwhile, businesses, trusts and foundations from all over England have also been getting in touch to pledge devices, money and even data to those who need it most...

BBC Radio 2 presenters get in the musicals mood

Presenters from BBC Radio 2 have been dressing up ahead of the station celebrating musicals this weekend. Zoe Ball, Sara Cox and Ken Bruce all dressed up as characters to mark a weekend of only songs from musical theatre, stage and screen all day from 5am-7pm. In the Breakfast Show on Friday, Zoe will be leading a sing-a-long of three songs from musicals and is encouraging listeners to get dressed up as their favourite musicals character for it. There will be musicals themes and guests across all the Radio 2 shows on Saturday and Sunday, culminating in Musicals: The Greatest Show on Sunday night hosted by Sheridan Smith...

BBC Radio Lancashire celebrates 50 years on-air

Lancashire’s local BBC station is celebrating 50 years on-air today and the launch of its Make a Difference Awards. BBC Radio Blackburn, as it was originally know, started officially on January 26th 1971 and expanded to cover the whole county ten years later. And today, key workers from around the area, from doctors and nurses to teachers and bin crews, have come together to form the Lancashire Heroes Choir. More than 50 key workers recorded themselves singing to the Cannon and Ball classic Together We’ll Be OK...