Radio News

Greg James and Radio 1 say Up Yours Corona

BBC Radio 1 has launched a search to find one person from every country in the world to tell Coronavirus to do one. Led by Greg James, the station will attempt to find one person from every country on earth to send a big ‘up yours’ to Coronavirus using a phrase with a similar meaning in their own country. All Radio 1 shows across the week will be supporting Greg and calling on listeners around the world for help tracking people down to take part. The station will aim to find 193 people from 193 countries to deliver their ‘up yours’ on Radio 1 in time for the end of the breakfast show (10am) on Wednesday 29 July...

UK Afrobeats Chart to launch on BBC Radio 1Xtra

A new countdown is heading to BBC Radio 1Xtra this weekend with the launch of the Official UK Afrobeats Chart. The Top 20 weekly rundown will spotlight the fast rising Afrobeats scene in the UK, initiated by the Afro Nation festival and compiled by the Official Charts Company. It will use UK sales and streaming data from over 9,000 outlets, incorporating audio and video streams, downloads and physical sales. The very first chart will be unveiled in a special The Official UK Afrobeats Show on BBC Radio 1Xtra on Sunday 26th July from 1pm-3pm, featuring a range of hosts and artists from around the world...

RAJAR on hold whilst reporting options are reviewed

RAJAR is on hold whilst the research body looks at new options for reporting on radio listening in the future. “The development of an upgraded system is underway with RAJAR’s research partners, and a number of options have presented themselves,” the company said in a statement on Monday. RAJAR’s face to face, door-to-door method has been on hold since Lockdown began in March, meaning there is no data available for Q2, 2020. The RAJAR Board has taken the decision that until a new measurement system commences, published RAJAR numbers will be based on historical data incorporating revised census population information. It says it is is reviewing methods that in the longer term are less reliant on face-to-face contact...

Fifty years of Bob Harris on air to be marked at Radio 2

Greg James will interview radio legend Bob Harris about his 50 years in broadcasting as part of the BBC Radio 2 summer schedules. The programme called ‘Bob And Greg’ airs on Saturday 22nd August at 9pm. The Radio 1 Breakfast presenter grew up with Bob’s famous whispering voice coming out of the radios at home as his father, Alan, has been a fan since Bob’s first broadcast on Radio 1 in August 1970. Greg will talk in depth to Bob about his life – including writing sleeve notes for an unknown Elton John, watching Bob Marley play, and touring with bands like Led Zeppelin; his influences and his constant search for the next big thing...

Becky Hill, Jax Jones, Disclosure, RAYE, Carl Cox and more announced for BBC Radio 1’s Dance Weekend, joining the station’s mammoth 70 hour celebration of dance music

The full line up for Radio 1’s Dance Weekend has been unveiled, with Becky Hill, Jax Jones, Disclosure, RAYE, Carl Cox and more set to perform for the event between 31 July - 2 August 2020. Radio 1’s Dance Weekend will be saving the summer by bringing together some of the biggest names in dance music for a three-day celebration packed with over 70 hours of dance music on Radio 1. Fans can join the party across radio, TV, social media and online over what would have been Radio 1’s annual weekend in Ibiza...

Presenter Alice Levine leaves BBC Radio 1

Alice Levine has announced she is leaving BBC Radio 1 after nine years at the station. Her last programme will be on Sunday 9th August after which Dev and Jordan North will share the Friday to Sunday 11am to 3pm slot. Alice has thanked people she has worked with at the station via an Instagram post, saying the time is right to hang up her headphones and say goodbye to Radio 1. She has also hinted at joining a new station saying listeners will be able to contact her on a new number soon, rather than the BBC Radio 1 text number 81199...

Louise Sutton returns to BBC Radio 5 Live

Series Editor of Football Focus Louise Sutton is heading back to 5 Live as Editor of 5 Live Sport. The appointment means a return to 5 Live Sport for Louise, who had previously spent seven years with the station from 2006 and covered events such as the London 2012 Olympics. After a period working in the independent production sector, Louise returned to the BBC in 2016 as a series editor across its range of football programmes and as Executive Producer of the Women’s Football Show. Louise will take up her new post from 1st September 2020 and will lead the 5 Live Sport radio and podcast team in the production of content for 5 Live, Sports Extra and BBC Sounds...

Live music returns to BBC Radio 3 Drive-Time

Live music is returning to BBC Radio 3’s drive-time show today following months of lockdown. In Tune will feature a live performance by members of Aurora Orchestra from the BBC Radio Theatre at 5pm. The feature has not been possible since March but today, following strict social distancing procedures the programme will transmit a live performance for the first time in nearly four months. Sean Rafferty – presenting from the Radio Theatre but without an audience in the auditorium – will welcome violinists Jamie Campbell and Alessandro Ruisi; violist Hélène Clément; cellist Reinoud Ford; and harpist Sally Pryce as they perform music including:...

Bauer starts to roll out Hits and Greatest Hits to new radio stations

24 local radio stations are stepping up their transitions to Hits Radio and Greatest Hits Radio from next week as part of Bauer’s plans to integrate the four groups acquired last year. From Monday 13th July, former Wireless and Celador stations that are becoming Greatest Hits Radio will feature shows from presenters including Mark Goodier, Pat Sharp, Andy Crane, Rossie and Alex Lester. The stations will retain their existing breakfast shows in the run-up to early September when they will fully switch over to Greatest Hits Radio. For the time being, Rossie – who does the Greatest Hits Radio national breakfast show – will be on these 21 stations at drivetime...

Samantha Moy appointed 6 Music Head of Station

BBC Radio 6 Music’s Head of Content Commissioning Samantha Moy has been appointed as the new Head of Station. Sam was previously the station’s Network Editor having originally joining 6 Music and latterly Radio 2 as Executive Producer, overseeing shows like Steve Lamacq and Steve Wright In The Afternoon. She started her career in radio at Kiss 100 in London, joining independent production company Somethin’ Else to produce programmes for Radio 1, Radio 2 and the BBC World Service. Sam then joined..