Radio News

Ross Kempsell makes Wireless return with Times Radio

Former talkRADIO, talkSPORT and Virgin Political Editor Ross Kempsell is returning to Wireless to become Special Correspondent for Times Radio. Ross left the group a year ago to take up a role as Policy Adviser to the Prime Minister in the Downing Street Policy Unit. The move into politics followed a high profile interview during which Boris Johnson revealed he likes to paint model buses in his spare time. Ross’ new job at Times Radio, which launches later this month, will see him covering home affairs, policing, crime and security, defence, social policy and the NHS. He will also work on exclusive stories and investigations for the station...

Hits Radio networking starts on new Bauer stations

Bauer’s newly acquired local radio stations are starting to introduce Hits Radio Brand programming from Monday 15th June 2020. The on-air changes start today at the Wireless stations becoming part of the Hits Radio network – Signal 1, Pulse 1 and The Wave (Swansea) – which will get new imaging, production, jingles and playlists to reflect the new status. For those stations, a new Chilled network show will air from 10pm till 1am with Hattie Pearson (Sunday – Thursday) and Scott Clarke (Friday & Saturday) and new additions to the weekends include the UK Chart Show on Sundays with Olivia Jones...

Nigel Farage to leave LBC with immediate effect

British politician and radio host Nigel Farage is leaving LBC with immediate effect, the station has announced. He joined the Global station in 2014 to take calls during Nick Ferrari’s breakfast show in a segment called Phone Farage and went on to host his own daily show in 2017. An LBC spokesperson said: “Nigel Farage’s contract with LBC is up very shortly and, following discussions with him, Nigel is stepping down from LBC with immediate effect. “We thank Nigel for the enormous contribution he has made to LBC and wish him well.” ...

talkRADIO and talkSPORT to share overnight shows

talkRADIO’s overnight presenter Darryl Morris is moving to weekends to allow talkRADIO and talkSPORT to simulcast 1am till 5am. Current talkSPORT presenter Paul Ross will be heard across both stations, both of which transmit nationally on DAB. Darryl was hired by talkRADIO just nine months ago but has announced he’ll be hosting weekend early breakfast instead, starting in a few weeks time. He said the money-saving decision will have been made easier in the knowledge that Paul is such as brilliant broadcaster, and thanked his overnight listeners for being his friend...

BBC Local Radio to showcase creative work in Upload Festival

BBC Local Radio is to team up to broadcast a weekend festival featuring comedy, spoken word and drama from budding creatives around England. The Upload Festival over the weekend of 19th to 21st June will include a main performance at 9pm each night across all 39 local radio stations in England and the Channel Islands, which will also be available to watch in-vision online. Acts will appear live via webcam from home or as recorded videos of their sketches or performances...

5 Live and talkSPORT to broadcast all remaining Premier League games

BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT have reached an agreement with the Premier League to enable football fans to listen to live commentary of all 92 remaining top-flight matches when the season resumes later this month. No two fixtures will be at the same time for the first week after the competition resumes, meaning full match commentary of every match can be broadcast across both radio and TV initially. When matches are played concurrently they will air across 5 Live, 5 Live Sports Extra, talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2. talkSPORT‘s ‘GameDay’ will return to Saturdays with the station securing the rights to broadcast the matches at 12.30pm, 3pm, 5.30pm and 7.45/8pm. It will also cover some of the Sunday and weekday evening games...

LBC signs Labour Leader for monthly Call Keir radio show

The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is to host his own monthly phone-in show on LBC. The half-hour slot starts next Monday – 8th June – at 9am, during Nick Ferrari at Breakfast. Previous such regular phone-in slots on the station have been with Nick Clegg when he was Deputy Prime Minister and Boris Johnson when he was Mayor of London. Sir Keir Starmer said: “I’m very conscious that one of my first jobs is to rebuild trust in the Labour Party with the public. The best way of doing that is to listen to the public and to LBC’s listeners and hear what they’ve got to say. What I always get from these phone-ins is a real sense of what matters to people. Having people on, telling me what they think, is the only way to gauge what people think and to hear what their real concerns are. I’m looking forward to it.” ...

Cristo Foufas replaces Iain Lee on talkRADIO lates

talkRADIO has replaced Iain Lee with Cristo Foufas on the 10pm till 1am slot. Cristo started his show on Tuesday night after Iain hosted his last show on Monday. Iain says he was told on Tuesday that he wouldn’t be on-air again. Cristo is now covering the slot until a replacement is announced. “From tonight, and every weeknight from 10pm to 1am I’ll be stepping into the late show @talkRADIO where we’ll give you the chance to discuss the days’ big news, tell your stories, and keep each other company in the small hours. Can’t wait to talk to you all!,” Cristo tweeted...

Iain Lee announces departure from talkRADIO after 4 years

talkRADIO’s late night presenter Iain Lee says last night’s show was his final programme on the station, after receiving the news that his contract isn’t being renewed. He joined the station from its launch in 2016 and during that time has won two Radio Academy ARIAs – for Best Speech Presenter in 2017 and Radio Moment of the Year in 2020. In a post on Facebook and Twitter, Ian wrote: “I’ve been waiting for a while to find out if my contract was going to be renewed and today I was finally told that, no, it isn’t. I won’t be going back on air. My last show was last night’s (which I thought was a little dull, a 5 out of 10 only! Out with a whimper!)...

Launch date and schedule revealed for Times Radio

Times Radio will launch at 6am on Monday 29 June with Mariella Frostrup, Phil Williams, Carole Walker, Giles Coren and Hugo Rifkind joining the schedule. Former BBC Radio 4 presenter and Sky Book Show host Mariella Frostrup will be presenting afternoons, Monday to Thursday. 5 Live’s Phil Williams will host the evening slot, Monday to Thursday. TV and radio journalist Carole Walker, former BBC political correspondent will look after lates whilst Times columnist, restaurant critic and TV presenter Giles Coren will have a weekly Friday afternoon show...