Radio News

Geoff Lloyd interviews Ed Miliband for Union JACK

Geoff Lloyd is putting his Reasons to be Cheerful podcast partner Ed Miliband in the hot seat for the season finale of his Union JACK series. Ed will be Geoff’s guest for the last Hometown Glory episode of the current run. The show will be broadcast on Union JACK radio at 11am on Saturday 13 July, and will then be available as a podcast immediately after. Giles Gear, Programme Manager at Union JACK radio, said: “Hometown Glory has seen some of the country’s finest comedians and quirkier famous faces interviewed on Union JACK with"...

Gem to take Hits Radio strapline and night programmes

Gem in the East Midlands is now identifying itself as playing The Biggest Hits, The Biggest Throwbacks, in line with Free Radio in the West Midlands and the Hits Radio network. Former Gem Radio presenter Jennie Longdon will return to the station, as she currently hosts Hits Chilled on the Hits Radio network of stations, which starts on Gem tonight (Monday). Hits Chilled on Gem will replace the local automated Wind Down Show from 10pm to 1am, Sunday to Thursday evenings...

BBC Radio 1 announces The Lewis Capaldi Symphony

BBC Radio 1’s Clara Amfo announced that Lewis Capaldi is set to perform alongside the Manchester Camerata Orchestra as part of Radio 1 Presents: The Lewis Capaldi Symphony on Monday 5 August in Croxteth, Liverpool. The Scottish singer-songwriter is one of the biggest UK artists to emerge in the last year with his single Someone You Loved spending seven weeks at number one and recently being named biggest song of 2019 so far, whilst his debut album Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent sat at the top of the album charts for four weeks.

Bauer gains approval to network breakfast shows

Ofcom has granted Bauer a number of Format changes to allow all of its stations to network all but three hours each weekday rather than the previous seven. UK commercial radio stations have been allowed to submit Format changes since the Localness Guidelines were amended last year, but Bauer has only just taken the steps required to allow this. Bauer can now share all programmes, with the exception of a three-hour show on weekdays (which doesn’t have to be breakfast), in the approved areas already suggested by Ofcom.

Heart’s Tom Evans returns to radio with BBC Sussex

Former Heart presenter Tom Evans, from the Tom, Nicola and Jack breakfast show on Heart Sussex, is joining BBC Sussex. Tom will cover a variety of programmes in the weeks ahead, including Breakfast and Afternoons.Mark Carter, Assistant Managing Editor at BBC Sussex told RadioToday about the signing: “Tom lives in Sussex and loves the county. He’s proved to be an extremely popular presenter with the local audience over the past few years, so I’m delighted to offer this opportunity of a return to the airwaves.”

Kirsty Young steps down from Desert Island Discs

Kirsty Young is leaving BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs after 12 years as host. Since 2006, Kirsty has presented 496 episodes of the programme as well as fronting the programme’s 70th and 75th anniversary celebrations. Lauren Laverne, who has been hosting the show in recent months, will continue to host Desert Island Discs for the foreseeable future as planned. Kirsty Young said: “After 12 incredibly happy and fulfilling years on Desert Island Discs I’ve decided to step down permanently.

Love Island winner Dani Dyer joins Capital

Dani Dyer is joining Capital to co-host weekend breakfast this summer. Starting this Sunday July 7th, the Love Island 2018 winner will join Capital’s Rob Howard every Saturday and Sunday from 11am – 12pm. Dani has covered a few times before with previous guest presenting stints. Dani said: “I’m super excited to be joining the Capital team for the summer! I always have so much fun when I’m on Capital and it’s going to be such a laugh presenting with Rob.

Meg McHugh to Chill on Hits Radio Scotland Network

Northsound Radio presenter Meg McHugh is to host the Hits Chilled show across the Hits Radio Network in Scotland. From Sunday 4th August, Meg will take over the Hits Chilled segment every Sunday to Thursday from 10pm to 1am across Clyde 1, Forth 1, Tay FM, Northsound 1, MFR, West FM and Radio Borders, replacing Ryan Borthwick. Joining the station in 2017, Meg began her career as a travel reporter on Northsound before covering a variety of shows across the station.

Mark Wright returns to weekends on Heart

Mark Wright is back in the UK and is returning to Global to host a weekend show on Heart from July 6th. He’ll be on-air across the network each Saturday afternoon from 4pm till 7pm. Mark left Heart in December 2017 and has been working in LA for the last 18 months. He originally joined in December 2012 to host Club Classics every Friday and Saturday night. James Rea, Managing Editor of Heart told RadioToday: “Mark is the perfect host for Saturday evenings on Heart"...

Zoe Ball joins top earners list at the BBC

New BBC Radio 2 breakfast show host Zoe Ball has joined the BBC big earners top 10 list whilst Jeremy Vine took at £110k pay cut. Vanessa Feltz also makes it inside the top 10 list, which this year includes three women for the first time, along with Claudia Winkleman. Chris Evans is still in the list, as it covers the period from April 2018 to March 2019, so will only represent nine months of work. He got £1.25m for 150 editions of the Breakfast Show (or £8.3k per programme).