Radio News

Gold returns to AM in Peterborough and Northampton

Gold is returning to AM in Peterborough and Northampton using the frequencies currently used by Smooth Radio. Ofcom has approved two format change requests, to change the Character of Services from an easy listening featuring lifestyle oriented speech, targeting an audience aged 50-plus to classic pop hits targeted primarily at 35-54 year-olds. The move means all programming on 1332AM in Peterborough and 1557AM in Northampton will be shared with all other AM stations in the Gold network in England, rather than the Smooth network.

Here’s how BBC Radio 1 played #HideAndSeek

BBC Radio 1’s latest game of Hide And Seek latest over 24 hours, with Greg James and Nick Grimshaw being found in Weston-super-Mere on Wednesday. Breakfast co-producer Chris Sawyer has tweeted an insightful thread about how it all came about, including information on how Greg put the answer to the question “Where are they” under the studio desk before he left on Tuesday morning. He explains about fake train tickets, pre-planned billboards, driving along a pier and planes flying too high.

Training officer gets show at BBC Radio Leicester

A theatre graduate, who works in workplace training, is joining BBC Radio Leicester to host a weekly show. Twenty-nine-year-old Aminata Kamara from Leicester will present The Vibe every Wednesday night, where she promises “a dash of drama, a hit of sauce and whole heap of realness!” In May BBC Radio Leicester held open auditions to find original talent to front the Wednesday night programme, aimed at African and Caribbean audiences, which will also be broadcast on Radio2Funky, Leicester’s only radio station dedicated to Black music and arts...

Nicky Morgan appointed new DCMS Secretary of State

Nicky Morgan, Chair of House of Commons Treasury Committee, has been appointed Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, replacing Jeremy Wright. The Loughborough MP previously served as Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities (2014 – 16); Financial Secretary to the Treasury (2014); Minister for Women (2014); Economic Secretary to the Treasury (2013 – 14); an Assistant Government Whip (2012 – 13); and the Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Rt Hon. David Willetts MP, Cabinet Minister for Universities and Science (2010 – 12)....

The Hide and Seek game is back at BBC Radio 1

BBC Radio 1 is playing another game of Hide and Seek with its listeners starting on Tuesday afternoon. Greg James, Nick Grimshaw, Maya Jama and Jordan North were all taken away from the studio around 8am, leaving Scott Mills and Adele Roberts in the studio to continue hosting the breakfast show, along with Clara Amfo. The station says Greg and Grimmy are on their way to a hiding place but the eventual place will not be hospitals, fire stations, police stations, or anywhere they’d cause a nuisance...

Fleur, Greg & James lined up for Tuning In North

Fleur East, Greg Burns and James Barr are the first speakers to be announced for Radiocentre’s Tuning In North event this September. The event will be the industry body’s biggest conference outside London and will bring together radio stations, agencies and clients for a full morning looking at the world of audio. Attendees will hear about the latest trends and opportunities in the evolving world of radio, be provided with insight into the latest in creativity and binaural sound and learn how advertisers can capitalise on the audio revolution.

Union JACK goes live from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

A live radio show will be broadcast each evening live from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe by Union JACK this year. On the Mic will be broadcast every single night of the Fringe, from the 2nd to 26th August between 9pm and 10pm. Each show will feature four comedians who are performing at the Fringe, interviewed alongside highlights from their shows. Hosted by Fringe veteran and comedian, Martin Walker, the show will act as a guide to the festival for the uninitiated, allowing listeners to experience the comedy and atmosphere on the radio.

Phil Williams returns with a week on talkRADIO

Former BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Phil Williams has been hired by talkRADIO to host Drive for a week. He’ll be on-air Monday 22nd July to Thursday 25th July from 4pm till 7pm, covering for Eamonn Holmes. His colleague, and talkRADIO breakfast presenter Julia Hartley-Brewer tweeted that he’ll also be live from College Green on Tuesday and Wednesday. Phil left 5 Live in May after 18 years, where he presented the Late Show since 2013. Before 5 Live, Phil worked at BBC Radio 1, GMR in Manchester and XFM London.

Nadiya Hussain, Dany Cotton, Harriet Wistrich, Amika George and Cressida Cowell to takeover BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour

BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour Takeover returns, where five incredible women each choose the content for one edition of Woman’s Hour from 22-26 July 2019. The line-up across the week is cook, author and television presenter Nadiya Hussain; retiring Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, Dany Cotton; activist Amika George; the lawyer who represented victims of the ‘black cab rapist’ John Worboys and founder of The Centre of Women’s Justice, Harriet Wistrich; and Children’s Laureate and author of the How to Train Your Dragon series, Cressida Cowell...

BBC Radio 1 returns to Ibiza for 24th year

BBC Radio 1 presenters Annie Mac and Danny Howard will present a night of back to back sets from some big DJ names next month in Ibiza including David Guetta and Idris Elba. The station is celebrating 24 years of creating special events on the island on Friday 2nd August 2019. Joining Radio 1 on Friday night will be some performances from CamelPhat, David Guetta x Jack Back, Idris Elba, Kölsch, Krystal Klear, Monki, Paul Woolford and Rebüke Solardo.