Radio 5 live unveils exciting new line-up
In its 20th anniversary year, BBC Radio 5 live has today announced the biggest shake-up to its daytime schedule in years, including two new programmes and welcoming a raft of new talent to feature alongside 5 live’s well-known names.
Published: 1 July 2014
We have a great blend of established presenters and new signings to take 5 live forward in our home in Salford. It’s an exciting and creative team that I know will drive the station on to even greater heights.
- Two brand-new daytime programmes
- A host of new presenters
- Richard Bacon, Victoria Derbyshire and Shelagh Fogarty moving on to new ventures
In its 20th anniversary year, BBC Radio 5 live has today announced the biggest shake-up to its daytime schedule in years, including two new programmes and welcoming a raft of new talent to feature alongside 5 live’s well-known names.
The brand-new daytime line-up is led by two of the station’s original star names, Adrian Chiles and Peter Allen, who will host 5 live Daily. This increased role on the station will work alongside Adrian's recently renewed commitment to host ITV's football coverage. The new programme will broadcast from 10am to 1pm, Monday to Friday. Then from 1pm to 4pm, BBC Sport’s Dan Walker will be joined by BBC Northern Ireland’s Sarah Brett, to host the second of the two new programmes – Afternoon Edition.
5 live Daily will be the station’s home of hard-hitting, distinctive journalism, building on the strong news foundations that listeners have come to expect from the mid-morning slot established by Victoria Derbyshire. Adrian will host the programme on Monday and Tuesdays and Peter on Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays, both really getting under the skin of the biggest national and international stories every day.
The programme will feature stimulating and unique content that challenges opinions through in-depth interviews, thought-provoking debate and original journalism, including Prime Minister’s Questions every Wednesday. Adrian and Peter are both well-known to the 5 live audience and highly respected journalists and presenters in their own right with vast experience covering the biggest stories over the past 20 years.
Afternoon Edition will broadcast Monday to Thursday from 1pm to 4pm, with Dan and Sarah featuring a new range of expert voices, more stories from all over the UK and interviews with big name guests.
Dan has been an integral member of the BBC Sport team for many years. He has been the face of Football Focus since 2009 and has covered all the major sporting events on the BBC including the 2012 London Olympics, Wimbledon, and the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, along with being a regular presenter on 5 live Sport. And award-winning journalist, Sarah, has become a well-known personality in Northern Ireland as co-presenter on BBC Radio Foyle’s flagship breakfast show. Together, Dan and Sarah will deliver an exciting new news programme engaging with listeners and getting to the heart of the stories that matter.
These two new daytime programmes will replace current shows hosted by Victoria Derbyshire, Shelagh Fogarty and Richard Bacon, who have each decided it’s the right time to move on to explore new ventures both within the BBC and externally.
There is also a brand new sound to Friday afternoons from 1pm-2pm as Eleanor Oldroyd hosts The Friday Sports Panel. Eleanor began her career in commercial local radio, before moving on to BBC Local Radio, then to Radio 1 Newsbeat and to BBC Radio Sport from 1991, eventually joining 5 live in 1994. Eleanor will be joined each week by a wide range of sporting personalities to preview the weekend’s action and debate the day’s biggest talking points. Then from 2pm on Fridays it’s the ever popular Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review.
5 live Drive completes the afternoon line-up. Current presenter Anna Foster will now be joined by Tony Livesey every Monday to Friday from 4pm to 7pm. Tony, who has enjoyed a prestigious journalism career starting out in print media before moving over to BBC Local Radio and on to national BBC radio and television, joins Anna on the programme moving from 5 live Weekend Breakfast. Chris Warburton will take over from Tony on Saturday morning with Eleanor Oldroyd and on Sunday morning with Sam Walker.
Nicky Campbell and Rachel Burden will continue to kick-off the weekday daily schedule with 5 live Breakfast from 6am, including the popular Your Call from 9am.
In addition to the weekday changes, 5 live is delighted to announce two new presenters as the hosts of Saturday’s hugely popular points for punditry show, Fighting Talk. Georgie Thompson joins the team, bringing with her vast experience as a top sports broadcaster across the world, and former Guardian sportswriter and one of the country’s best loved stand-up comics, Josh Widdicombe, will be bringing a smile to Saturday mornings.
5 live also welcomes 606’s Jason Roberts to the 5 live Sport team. Former Premier League striker Jason, who has enjoyed a very successful run on the station’s acclaimed football phone-in show alongside Robbie Savage and Ian Wright, will move to a role with 5 live Sport including hosting some of the big football nights on 5 live sports extra.
With Dan Walker moving across to Afternoon Edition, Mark Chapman will be the new Friday night 5 live Sport host with a preview of all the weekend’s sporting action, and Jonathan Overend will take over the reins of 5 live Sport on Sunday afternoons.
BBC Radio’s chief football correspondent, Mike Ingham, who retires from commentary at the 2014 World Cup Final, will be presenting 5 live football specials throughout the 2014/15 season. Plus, John Murray, who has been a core member of the 5 live Sport team for many years will become the new football correspondent.
These changes follow-on from previous additions to the 5 live schedule, which have included the introduction of Question Time Extra Time, Match Of The Day 2 Extra, 5 live Science, an extended Wake Up To Money and the move of Pienaar’s Politics and 5 live Investigates to a new Sunday morning slot.
BBC Radio 5 live controller, Jonathan Wall, says: “This Autumn feels the right time to refresh parts of our schedule as we follow-on from what’s already proving to be a wonderful sporting summer.
“We have a great blend of established presenters and new signings to take 5 live forward in our home in Salford. It’s an exciting and creative team that I know will drive the station on to even greater heights.
“Victoria, Shelagh and Richard have all played such key roles delivering fantastic live radio and I wish them every success with their future projects.”
The new schedule will commence in October 2014.
Notes to Editors
BBC Radio 5 live Weekday Schedule from October 2014
Monday – Tuesday
0600: 5 live Breakfast with Nicky Campbell and Rachel Burden
0900: Your Call
1000: 5 live Daily with Adrian Chiles
1300: Afternoon Edition with Dan Walker and Sarah Brett
1600: 5 live Drive with Anna Foster and Tony Livesey
1900: 5 live Sport
2230: Phil Williams
0100: Up All Night
Wednesday
0600: 5 live Breakfast with Nicky Campbell and Rachel Burden
0900: Your Call
1000: 5 live Daily with Peter Allen
1300: Afternoon Edition with Dan Walker and Sarah Brett
1600: 5 live Drive with Anna Foster and Tony Livesey
1900: 5 live Sport
2230: Phil Williams
0100: Up All Night
Thursday
0600: 5 live Breakfast with Nicky Campbell and Rachel Burden
0900: Your Call
1000: 5 live Daily with Peter Allen
1300: Afternoon Edition with Dan Walker and Sarah Brett
1600: 5 live Drive with Anna Foster and Tony Livesey
1900: 5 live Sport
2200: Question Time Extra Time
0100: Up All Night
Friday
0600: 5 live Breakfast with Nicky Campbell and Rachel Burden
0900: Your Call
1000: 5 live Daily with Peter Allen
1300: The Friday Sports Panel with Eleanor Oldroyd
1400: Mayo and Kermode’s Film Review
1600: 5 live Drive with Anna Foster and Tony Livesey
1900: 5 live Sport
2200: Stephen Nolan
0100: Up All Night
Presenter Quotes
New presenter line-up
Peter Allen
“After 20 years at 5 live I remain as enthusiastic as ever about the station. I love it in particular because of its audience, and the new show will in essence be a conversation with that audience.
“I have enjoyed my time at Drive, and in particular enjoyed most recently working with Jonathan Crawford as Editor. I am genuinely excited at the prospect of the new programme, and hope the audience is too!”
Sarah Brett
"To say I'm excited doesn't really cover it! Joining 5 live to co present a brand-new programme is a huge deal. And I'm very proud to be coming from a fantastic regional station, BBC Radio Foyle. The chance to help create something completely fresh for listeners on 5 live is a dream job and I can't wait to get started."
Mark Chapman
“I am delighted to be taking over Friday nights and to now be able to preview every weekend of sport as well as review it on the Monday Night Club. I can’t wait to work with the excellent range of experts and journalists 5 live Sport have put together and to contribute to the sense of anticipation every fan feels ahead of the weekend.”
Adrian Chiles
"20 years ago I felt the luckiest man alive to land a job on the network when it launched. I feel no less delighted now to be part of this relaunch and I can't wait to get started"
Anna Foster
“I’m delighted that Tony is joining 5 live Drive. He is the perfect addition – a talented, incisive journalist with a great sense of humour. We’ll miss Peter hugely but there couldn’t be a better choice than Tony making sure we carry on giving our loyal Drive listeners the programme they love.”
Mike Ingham
“I used to be the presenter of Sport On 2, so I’m really looking forward to being back in the studio. After commentating for 30-odd years, I am coming off the road and going back to my roots.”
Tony Livesey
“I’m very excited to be presenting one of the BBC’s flagship current affairs programmes and proud to be following in the footsteps of 5 live legend, Peter Allen.”
John Murray
“I feel very honoured to be only the fourth person to hold this role after Brian Moore, Bryon Butler and Mike Ingham. I know that in succeeding Mike, I will have a very difficult act to follow.”
Eleanor Oldroyd
“Friday is the perfect day to look ahead to the sporting weekend. The show will really set the agenda for everything to come over Saturday and Sunday – not just football but a whole range of exciting events. We’ll be introducing plenty of new voices; giving expert insight in what’s set to be a thrilling year for sport ahead and beyond.”
Jonathan Overend
"Sunday is a brilliant day for sport if, like me, you're into just about everything. And, let's face it, 5 live is the only station serious about covering all sports from grounds, courses and courts around the world. So that means Premier league football, F1, top domestic and European Rugby, Tennis finals, golf final rounds, athletics, where do we stop? I last did this programme 13 years ago so can't wait to get back on air every Sunday from midday!"
Jason Roberts
“I am delighted to be joining the 5 live Sports presentation team. Having worked on shows like 606 and summarised at lots of games, including matches at Brazil 2014, I’m thrilled to be able to be involved in more show presentations.
“After a lifetime in football and only hanging my boots up a few months ago, I hope to be able to bring a passionate current view point and insight to the output and can’t wait to get started.”
Georgie Thompson
“Anything with 'talk' in the title thrills me. The idea of pairing 'talk' with sporting opinion and worki.ng with such an experienced and fun team in the Fighting Talk family at Radio 5 live is very exciting."
Dan Walker
"I can't wait to start the new show on BBC Radio 5 live. It's a big challenge but I'm looking forward to having a great partner in Sarah. I've been working on the station for a few years but it's a real privilege to be involved in something fresh and different."
Josh Widdicombe
“I am delighted to be joining 5 live and getting the chance to host a radio show I have been listening to for almost a decade. I won't let my record of never winning an episode of Fighting Talk cloud my judgement now I am in charge.”
Current presenters
Richard Bacon:
“5 live has been a spectacular place to work, I’ve got nothing but good things to say about it. It's been a hugely important part of my career and life, and I'll always be grateful, and a listener, to 5 live! After seven years it's time to have different adventures, many of which will still be at the BBC.”
Amongst various new projects, Richard will be co-presenting a new primetime BBC One series with Una Stubbs - a nationwide search for Britain's best amateur painter.
Victoria Derbyshire
“It's a huge wrench to leave 5 live where listeners and I have shared so many experiences, and I would like to thank them enormously for trusting me. As to what I'm doing next - well I've been offered a brilliant opportunity too good to turn down."
Victoria will be working on an exciting new BBC News programme, details to be announced in the Autumn.
Shelagh Fogarty:
"At 5 live I've had some of the happiest times and richest experiences of my working life, covering the fundamentals of life in Britain and presenting programmes from amazing places around the world. I'm very sad to be leaving but it's definitely time to do so. I'm spending the Summer exploring a number of opportunities, before deciding what's next. I'll show my appreciation to my fantastic 5 live colleagues by taking them out for some fun sometime soon. To our unforgettable listeners, you are simply millions of co-presenters and make every programme better than it would be without you."
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