UK

Former BBC Radio 1 presenter Tim Westwood has been charged with multiple sexual offences following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service.
The Crown Prosecution Service authorised the charges after reviewing evidence gathered by detectives.
The 68-year-old from Westminster is facing four counts of rape, nine counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault.
The alleged offences involve seven women and span more than 30 years, from 1983 to 2016. They are said to have taken place across London and in Stroud.
Police say the charges include indecent assault of a 17-year-old girl in Fulham in 1983, sexual assault of a woman in her 20s in Vauxhall in 1986, and rape and sexual assault involving a 17 to 18-year-old woman between 1995 and 1996.
Further allegations include rape and sexual assault of another 17 to 18-year-old woman between 2000 and 2001, rape of a woman in her 20s in London in 2010, sexual assault of a woman in Stroud that same year, and a further sexual assault in Finchley in 2016.
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy said: “It takes courage to come forward and report allegations of this nature. The women who have done so have put their trust in us and we continue to provide them with all available support.”
He added that the investigation remains open and urged anyone with information to contact the police or Rape Crisis for support.
He began his radio career in the late 1970s on local and pirate radio stations in London, including LWR and Kiss FM before it became legal. His reputation grew for championing emerging hip hop acts and bringing American rap to UK audiences at a time when it had limited mainstream exposure.
In 1987, he joined Capital Radio, where he presented Capital Rap Show, helping to popularise the genre across the UK. In 1994, Westwood moved to BBC Radio 1, launching The Rap Show, which became one of the country’s most influential platforms for hip hop and R&B. The programme featured major artists such as Jay-Z, Eminem, and Kanye West and helped shape the sound of British urban radio for nearly 20 years.
He also hosted the BBC Radio 1Xtra drivetime show when the digital network launched in 2002 and continued presenting on both Radio 1 and 1Xtra until leaving the BBC in 2013.
After his departure, Westwood joined Capital XTRA, where he continued his hip hop shows until 2022. He has also been known for live DJ performances, club nights, and mixtape releases throughout his career.
Westwood is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday 10 November.

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Cheshire’s Mix 56 will broadcast live from Manchester Central Library on Monday 27 October from 1pm to 4pm, celebrating the launch of the new Piccadilly Radio exhibition.

The event pays tribute to the golden days of Manchester radio and the legacy of one of the UK’s most influential stations, which first went on air in 1974.
Fronting the special show will be two familiar voices for local listeners, Paul Smith and Pete Reeves. Both are now part of the Mix 56 team but were once key figures in Manchester radio, with Paul previously at Key 103 and Pete part of Piccadilly Radio during its prime years.
Paul said: “Piccadilly Radio inspired generations of broadcasters, myself included. To be part of this exhibition and to broadcast live from such an iconic setting is a real privilege.”
Pete added: “This is a chance to celebrate one of the greatest radio stations of its time and to share those memories with both old fans and new listeners. It’s fantastic that Mix 56 can be part of it.”
The exhibition has attracted widespread interest from across the North West, showcasing archive audio, memorabilia and memories from the early days of commercial radio in Manchester.
During the live show, the Mix 56 team will feature interviews with special guests, stories from Piccadilly’s history, some on-air bloopers, and a playlist of classic hits that defined the station’s era.
Listeners can tune in to Mix 56 across Cheshire, Stockport and South Manchester on DAB digital radio, on smart speakers, or online at mix56.co.uk.

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Bauer’s Magic Classical will mark what would have been Luciano Pavarotti’s 90th birthday with a weekend of special programming led by Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins.

The station is joining forces with Decca Classics to celebrate the release of ‘Novanta’, a 74-track compilation featuring highlights from the legendary tenor’s career, including previously unreleased recordings and iconic duets.
Katherine will host a new documentary, *Pavarotti at 90 with Katherine Jenkins*, exploring the life and legacy of the world-renowned singer. The special includes archive performances and interviews with admirers and collaborators such as Russell Watson, Gareth Malone, and Fred Plotkin, who worked with Pavarotti for nearly three decades.
Speaking about the project, Katherine said: “It is such a joy to present this documentary exploring the remarkable journey of Luciano Pavarotti from his humble beginnings to becoming the legendary superstar we all know and love. His artistry shaped my own career and deepened my passion for music.”
The tribute weekend will begin on Friday 12 October, with all Magic Classical programmes reflecting on Pavarotti’s enduring influence. Simon Mayo will dedicate his Sunday morning show to the tenor, featuring music connected to his career, from The Three Tenors to Puccini classics like *La Bohème* and *Madama Butterfly*.
Regular Magic Classical presenters including Charles Nove, Tim Smith, Fran Godfrey, and Ayanna Witter-Johnson will also take part in “Pavarotti Forever”, sharing their favourite arias and performances, while “Magic Classical’s Top 5” on the Rayo app will highlight his most-loved recordings.
Nick Pitts, Content Director of Magic Classical and Jazz FM, said: “It’s not often you get to celebrate a legend like Luciano Pavarotti. I’m so pleased that Decca Classics have come on board, and having Katherine Jenkins tell his story makes it all the more special.”
SCHEDULE DETAILS

Friday 10th October
0700-2200 – Charles Nove, Tim Smith, Jo Cochrane and Tony Minvelle celebrate Luciano Pavarotti at 90 across the day including…

On the Magic Classical Breakfast Show, Charles Nove will reveal the number one Pavarotti performance in his Magic Classical Top 5 of his music (running daily from Monday 6th October)

Tim Smith will be joined by Katherine Jenkins to preview her documentary and talk about her love of Pavarotti.

Jo Cochrane will feature 1990 in her Time Capsule feature – the year of the Three Tenors and that world cup in Italy

Tony Minivielle will feature Pavarotti performing Puccini – Che Gelida Manina (from La Boheme) in his Essential Aria feature

Saturday 11th October
2100 – Pavarotti Forever.  The Magic Classical presenter team will share their favourite Pavarotti piece or Aria from across his career in this hour long special.

Sunday 12th October
1000 – Simon Mayo on Pavarotti.  Simon hands his show over to the music of Pavarotti and friends for the full two hours.
2100 – Pavarotti at 90 with Katherine Jenkins.  The UK’s celebrated and award-winning operatic singer marks the birthday of the great Italian tenor, whose voice transcended opera to become a global phenomenon.  It looks at the early years, his years as an opera start and then the crossover years as he became a global superstar via some of the most recognised voices and contributors of today.

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Freedom Media Group has appointed Joanne Beswick as Growth Consultant, continuing its expansion with a focus on delivering innovative, multi-platform marketing strategies.

Joanne will work closely with clients across the UK and internationally to develop tailored campaigns designed to meet specific business goals. Based in Marple Bridge, Freedom Media Group has partnered with organisations ranging from Lexus and Thames Valley Police to Puttshack and LMA, providing bespoke, results-driven marketing solutions.
With 15 years of experience in the media industry, including roles at The Guardian Media Group and Clear Channel UK, Joanne brings a strong background in performance analysis and strategic optimisation.
She said: “I’m thrilled to join FMG, a team full of energy, expertise, and passion for helping clients succeed. Media never stands still, and neither do I, so I’m excited to rise to this new challenge and keep evolving with this fast-changing industry.”
Dan Thompson, founder and Managing Director of Freedom Media Group, said: “Our business is founded on delivering outstanding client service and world-class strategic thinking. Jo embodies these values and will be focused on driving new business development both here in the UK and internationally.”
Freedom Media Group continues to grow its team and expand its presence in both national and global markets, strengthening its position as a trusted partner for creative marketing and media strategy.

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West Somerset Radio has been found in breach of its Ofcom licence for failing to broadcast since May last year.

The Minehead-based community station, operated by West Somerset Community Radio C.I.C., went silent on 31 May 2024 after running into financial difficulties and has not returned to air since.
In Ofcom’s Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin (Issue 531, 6 October 2025), the regulator confirmed that the station is in breach of Licence Condition 2(1) for failing to provide its licensed service.
West Somerset Radio told Ofcom it ceased operations when its bank accounts were frozen and the station became unable to meet costs such as studio rent. The directors said the decision to stop broadcasting was “entirely unintentional” and that they initially explored transferring the licence to a new entity before deciding to restore the existing operation instead.
The station said it has since secured new transmission hardware through a donation from a local engineering contractor and is working with volunteers and former presenters to relaunch the service. Internet and power connections are being reinstated, and an engineer was booked to complete installation work in September. The station now expects to return to air by the end of this year.
Ofcom acknowledged the station’s voluntary status and efforts to resume service but noted concern that listeners have been without the community station for more than a year. The regulator said it will monitor progress and expects West Somerset Radio to provide regular updates on its plans to restart broadcasts.

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Capital Breakfast presenters Jordan North and Sian Welby have shared how their station’s music programmer was offered a security guard and told to collect a laptop from a locked safe at 4am to load Taylor Swift’s new album without risk of leaks.

Speaking on Capital Breakfast, Sian explained: “Normally a file gets sent and uploaded to our system, but that wasn’t the case this time.”
Jordan added that when he arrived at 5.30am, he found music programmer Chris Chilvers already there after staying overnight in a hotel near Global’s London HQ. Chris had been asked to collect a secure laptop containing Taylor’s album from a vault in the boss’s office and manually load it into Capital’s system at 4am, minutes before the album was officially released.
Jordan said: “I’ve just been told Chris was offered a security guard in case something happened to him on the way. That’s amazing!” Sian added: “That’s MI5 level stuff. It’s unbelievable.”
The pair also revealed that Taylor’s long-time publicist, Tree Paine, personally brought a physical iPod to Global’s Leicester Square offices the day before the interview to let them hear seven tracks in a secure room. Sian said: “She literally had the tracks on an iPod with a headphone splitter. We were all sat there with headphones on listening, and we weren’t even sure if we were allowed to take notes.”
Jordan explained that the level of secrecy was unlike anything they had ever seen: “It was so top secret. We couldn’t even mention it in meetings or write it down anywhere.”
Taylor’s interview aired on Capital Breakfast as part of her promotional run following the release of her latest album, with the tight security measures showing the extraordinary lengths taken to prevent leaks ahead of one of the biggest pop releases of the year.

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