Radio News

Miley Cyrus, Little Mix, YUNGBLUD, Jorja Smith, Biffy Clyro and more to perform for BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge Month 2020

BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge Month will return for September 2020 with brand new live performances from Miley Cyrus, Little Mix, YUNGBLUD, Jorja Smith, Biffy Clyro and more. Running from Tuesday 1 - Wednesday 30 September, Live Lounge Month 2020 will feature brand new live performances from (in alphabetical order): Anne-Marie, Arlo Parks, Biffy Clyro, Declan McKenna, Jorja Smith, Little Mix, London Grammar, Miley Cyrus, YUNGLBUD - Hosted by Clara Amfo, each Live Lounge will see artists perform their own music as well as exclusive cover tracks. Every Monday-Thursday throughout September, the Live Lounge can be heard live on Radio 1 and BBC Sounds from midday...

New date for Audio and Radio Industry Awards 2021

The Radio Academy’s annual awards ceremony, the ARIAS, is returning to a May date in 2021. The actual event for the Audio and Radio Industry Awards will be either virtual or physical, depending on what’s appropriate nearer the time. The move has been made in order to shift the awards’ eligibility window to end on 31 December, and to allow members more time in 2020 to prepare their entries. The eligibility window will pick up where last year’s left off, meaning that content broadcast from 1 Oct 2019 all the way through to 31 Dec 2020 can be included...

Union JACK looks for Britain’s Best Beer Garden

Union JACK has launched a competition to find Britain’s Best Beer Garden. The national DAB station is inviting listeners to nominate their top choice from anywhere in the country. The winning pub will become the host venue for a day of live broadcasts including its Full English Breakfast Show; and a live pub quiz hosted by Mark “The Beast” Labbett, who will also be a part of the live broadcast. Listeners will also have the chance to win themselves a year’s worth of drinks. Ahead of the competition launch, Union JACK radio asked listeners to share their thoughts on what constitutes a good beer garden, with these ideas used to develop the criteria on which entries will be judged. Have a listen to an example below...

Simon Mayo joins Greatest Hits Radio line-up

Scala Radio presenter Simon Mayo will do a Sunday afternoon album show on Greatest Hits Radio from next month. The former BBC Radio 2 host will be on 1-4pm on Sundays from 6th September as the brand is rolled out to local radio stations across the country. It’s addition to his six shows a week for Bauer’s sister station Scala. The station says he will be ‘indulging his passion for the finest albums, and their greatest hits, of the 70s, 80s and 90s’. ‘The Album Show with Simon Mayo’ will celebrate and explore listeners’ record collections along with a weekly Classic Album Countdown...

Radio 1 signs Vick Hope to host weekend shows

Former Capital Breakfast co-host Vick Hope is joining BBC Radio 1 from Sunday 6 September to co-host Life Hacks followed by The Official Chart: First Look. Vick will join current co-host Katie Thistleton on Life Hacks, the show which discusses issues affecting young people, and The Official Chart: First Look. Newcastle born Vick previously worked at MTV, ITV and Channel 4. She also appeared on Strictly Come Dancing and most recently, spent three years as co-host of Capital FM’s Breakfast Show. The news of Vick’s signing to Radio 1 had been delayed after the sudden death of Capital producer Joe Lyons last week. She posted on...

TV presenter Michael Underwood joins Virgin Radio Groove

Digital station Virgin Radio Groove has added Michael Underwood to its weekend line-up in the 10am-2pm slot. Last month the presenter – who is also a teacher – fronted Virgin Radio’s 500 Words: Black Lives Matter children’s writing competition alongside his wife, TV presenter Angellica Bell. Michael and Angellica hosted a stream of famous names reading out the shortlisted entrants and winners. Michael said: “The Virgin Radio family is the home of the best music on the radio and it’s a real treat to host Weekends on Virgin Radio Groove. If you want to get your groove on with all the best feel-good music, come and join us!” ...

Scott Mills to cover the big show on BBC Radio 2

Scott Mills will be covering for Steve Wright on BBC Radio 2 when he takes a week off later this month. Scott has been on the station in the past hosting specials, and has also covered Rylan and Claudia Winkleman but this will be his first stint covering weekday afternoons. Steve’s regular stand-in, Craig Charles is busy filming new ITV series, Don’t Rock The Boat. Jordan North will cover the BBC Radio 1 afternoon show while Scott sits-in for Steve Wright...

Sideman quits 1Xtra over BBC’s use of racist word in news report

Sideman has left 1Xtra with immediate effect following the BBC using a racist slur in a news report. The 1Xtra presenter announced his departure from the station on social media, saying it felt like “a slap in the face to our community”. It happened after the N-word was used in a report about a racially aggravated attack in Bristol, broadcast by Points West and the BBC News Channel. In a video posted on Instagram, Sideman said: “This is an error in judgement where I can’t just smile with you through the process and act like everything is okay. “I’m happy working with organisations until we all get it right, but this feels like more than getting it wrong. The action and the defence of the action feels like a slap in the face to our community...

Faron McKenzie named Head of BBC Radio 1Xtra

BBC Radio 1Xtra has announced Faron McKenzie as the new Head of the station. Faron has been with the BBC since 2017 and has recently led the corporation’s first ever Creative Diversity Xperience (CDX) which took place on 28 – 29 July 2020 and brought together iconic stars, cultural disruptors and influencers to showcase the vibrancy, innovation and leadership of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic talent in the creative industry. As Marketing Manager for Radio 1, 1Xtra and Asian Network he was also involved in the first-ever paid strategic partnership with GRM Daily and LinkUp TV for BBC Three’s ‘The Rap Game’...

Jazz FM to play The Music That Made Me

A new eight-part series exploring the influences and important songs in the lives of Jazz FM’s superstar musicians starts this weekend. The Music That Made Me is part of the Established 1990 season of programmes transmitting across the year. Hosted by Nigel Williams, each weekly conversation explores their life as a musician with the songs that have made them the artist they are today. Those in conversation across the first four weeks include Grammy winners Ramsey Lewis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Kurt Elling, plus Jean-Paul ‘Bluey’ Maunick – founder of the UK jazz-funk trailblazers Incognito – while September will...