EU referendum gets biggest reaction of any news story in BBC Radio 5 live’s history

Thousands of people contacted the station in the last days of the referendum campaign. There was then a second surge in the immediate aftermath of the vote.

The response from listeners has been described as “unprecedented” in the station’s 22-year history.

Highlights include:

• The longest ever phone-in on BBC Radio 5 live the day before the referendum – extended to accommodate the huge numbers of listeners contacting the station to share their views.

• Four thousand listeners contacting 5 live in a single day.

• 40 hours of continuous rolling coverage following the announcement of the result.

• Live broadcasts from every corner of the UK including Middlesbrough, West Bromwich, Romford, Wisbech, Belfast, Moray, Flintshire, Redruth, Wigan, Peterborough, Edinburgh, Brixham, Thanet, Hartlepool, and Leeds.
On Friday’s (June 24) 5 live Breakfast programme, Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn heard the Prime Minister David Cameron announce his resignation while doing an interview on 5 live. He gave his immediate reaction to the resignation to presenter Nicky Campbell.

On the Wednesday before the referendum (June 22), four thousand people got in touch with 5 live. The station broadcast its’ longest ever phone-in, which began at 8:15am and lasted until 4pm.

Since the result was announced, 5 live has seen a surge in demand for its digital content – with figures more than double what they would normally be. ‘5 live In Short’ audio and video clips have had a million plays online and on social media in a week.

5 live’s exclusive interview with Lord Heseltine launching a scathing attack on Boris Johnson has had more than one million views online and reached 2.5 million on social media, in less than 24 hours.

5 live has broadcast from Westminster, Brussels and Gibraltar as well as every region of the UK and is continuing to provide coverage as the story develops.

Jonathan Wall, controller of BBC Radio 5 live, said: “This has been the biggest response to any news story in 5 live’s history. Our phone lines have been jammed and we’ve been inundated with messages.

“From Lee, the postman in Middlesborough who voted leave because he felt the North East had been let down, to Mary in Portsmouth, a teacher who’d been arguing about her remain vote with her parents and is worried about the future for her young children.

“We aim to be the place where Britain can have an open, fair and frank debate on the issues that matter.”

Meanwhile, since the referendum, the station has also covered England’s exit from Euro 2016 and continues to follow the Wales team’s success. It has broadcast the opening days of Wimbledon and on Friday will cover the commemorations to mark the anniversary of the Somme.

Later this summer 5 live will broadcast the Olympics and Paralympics from Rio, the Ryder Cup and in August the start of the new Premier League season.

Ends

Notes to editors:

Jeremy Corbyn reacts live to Prime Minister David Cameron’s resignation: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03zb0p2

Lord Heseltine: “Boris has created 'greatest constitutional crisis in modern times”: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04000hx