UK

Radio 1’s Live Lounge Month returns on 29 September with performances from some of the world’s biggest artists.

The annual event will air on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 12pm in Rickie, Melvin and Charlie’s mid-morning show, with sessions also available on BBC Sounds, BBC iPlayer and YouTube.
This year’s line-up features Olivia Dean, Conan Gray, Myles Smith, mgk, PinkPantheress, The Last Dinner Party, Skye Newman, Reneé Rapp, Lewis Capaldi, Demi Lovato, Wet Leg, Mumford & Sons, Louis Tomlinson and Florence + The Machine.
A new addition is the Radio 1 Anthems Live Lounge, part of the launch of the new Radio 1 Anthems station on DAB+. Robbie Williams will headline the first of these on Friday 10 October.
Lewis Capaldi will also perform a special Live Lounge Late on Monday 20 October, with extra tracks airing later in Jack Saunders’ New Music Show.
Reneé Rapp said: “I love being in the UK and I love when I get to sing songs that aren’t my own, it’s a fun switch up.”
Rickie, Melvin and Charlie said: “Artists stripping things back, surprising us with covers you’d never expect, and creating those unforgettable moments that only the Live Lounge can bring.”
Head of Radio 1 Aled Haydn Jones said: “The magic of the Live Lounge is in its intimacy: stripped-back performances that let fans experience their favourite artists like they’ve never heard them before.”
Live Lounge Month has been a fixture on the station for nearly two decades. Previous performers include Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande and Noah Kahan, with some sessions drawing tens of millions of views online.

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Bauer Media Group has celebrated its 150th anniversary with a simultaneous staff party across 16 countries, featuring performances from major artists including David Guetta and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
The event, held on 5 September, was part of the company’s 150 Years of Now campaign and connected employees in cities including London, Oslo, Paris, Helsinki, Čadca, Dublin, Stockholm and Brussels.
More than 12,000 employees across Europe were invited to take part, including hundreds from across the UK who gathered at the Roundhouse in Camden, and staff from stations across Ireland attended the Mansion House in Dublin.
Alongside the celebrations, Bauer Media Audio UK marked the milestone year with record listening figures, and handed out awards to its own stations at the Bauer Media Awards held on the same day.
Founded in 1875 in Hamburg, Bauer has grown from a family-run publisher into one of Europe’s largest commercial media companies, operating radio, publishing and out-of-home businesses across multiple markets.

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A number of Sunday afternoon specialist music shows on BBC Local Radio stations have ended, making way for a new networked programme across England.

The Make a Difference show will launch on Sunday 14th September from 2pm until 6pm, presented by a host still to be announced. It will air in areas not broadcasting live local sport. Before that, a one-off Award Winners special is airing today (7th September).
John Leech’s Soul Show, which aired across BBC Eastern stations, is among the shows that will no longer be heard. John said the decision to end long-running regional shows in favour of a broader national programme “seems puzzling” and could reduce local flavour and engagement.
He added: “I’m honoured to have been a part of people’s lives, sharing experiences through the highs and lows.” More information about his work is available on his website.
Other shows brought to an end include Lisa Marrey’s 80s and 90s show on BBC Radio Lancashire, BBC Merseyside and BBC Cumbria, and John Marshall played the same decades of music on Humberside and Lincolnshire. In the Midlands, Paula White’s retro music show aired across five stations, while Sile Sibanda hosted a music and conversation show on BBC Radio Sheffield, BBC Radio York and BBC Radio Leeds.
In the South, Mel Everett presented a shared show on BBC Radio Somerset, BBC Radio Devon and BBC Radio Cornwall and and Erika North’s programme across BBC Radio Kent, BBC Radio Solent, BBC Radio Berkshire and BBC Radio Oxford.
The new show also replaced Gaby Roslin on BBC Radio London.
Chris Burns, Head of BBC Local Audio Commissioning, said: “Make a Difference is something that has deeply resonated with our audiences since inception. It is hugely popular and something we really want to champion while prioritising our unrivalled commitment to covering local sport.”
The BBC has said the new Sunday afternoon programme is designed to highlight positive stories from communities across the country, with the balance between shared and local output dependent on sport schedules.

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Andy Bennett’s BBC Radio Bristol afternoon show was forced off air today after a power outage struck central Bristol.

The programme went into silence when the studio lost power, leaving Andy and his team “panicking” as the building went into blackout. The show was later taken over by Luke Knight, broadcasting from BBC Radio Somerset.
The incident was linked to a wider outage affecting more than 1,500 properties after smoke was seen coming from a pavement on Whiteladies Road in Clifton. Among those affected were BBC Points West, BBC Radio Bristol and BBC West offices.
National Grid said engineers were investigating a “fault on our underground network” which was reported at 4.22pm. The company added that the power cut was expected to last until 6pm and apologised for the disruption.
An Avon Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said crews extinguished a fire “under the manhole cover which we believed to be connected to electric cables” at about 4pm. Firefighters later returned at 5.09pm to reports of further black smoke and flames in the same area.
You can hear when the show went off air on BBC Sounds from 2 hours and 24 seconds into the programme.

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Radiocentre’s Audio Ad of the Year Award, run in partnership with Campaign, is looking to find the best creative work in commercial radio advertising.

The award recognises the scripting, production and creative execution that make standout audio ads memorable.
Any ad that has aired on UK commercial radio over the last 12 months (since 1st September 2024) is eligible, with entry free of charge.
A panel of leading creative directors will review submissions and select a shortlist of three. Those finalists will be featured in Campaign, giving the industry a chance to see the best recent work. The overall winner will then be decided by Campaign readers through an online vote.
Judges will be looking for ads that demonstrate strong craft, originality and impact. Memorability and resonance with listeners will also be key factors in the decision-making process.
Entries close on 10 October 2025, with results to follow later in the year. Full details, including how to submit entries, are available from Radiocentre’s website.

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Podcast production company, Listening Dog Media has opened a new podcast and content studio, extending its services to podcasters, creators and brands.

Listening Dog Studios is based directly opposite Slough train station on the Elizabeth Line. It is around 15 minutes from London Paddington, offering easy access for independent podcasters and agency clients who want production services without travelling into Central London.
The studio is fitted with Shure SM7B microphones, 6K video cameras and professional lighting, providing broadcast-standard audio and video recording. In addition to hire, the space also offers editing and post-production, creating a full-service package for both podcasters and businesses producing content.
Callum Marks, Managing Director of Listening Dog Media, said: “Podcasters and businesses shouldn’t have to battle Central London just to record high-quality content.
“Listening Dog Studios is designed to make things simple: arrive, record, and leave with professional audio and video without any stress.”
Listening Dog Media already produces several established shows, including Seaman Says with former England goalkeeper David Seaman, How to DJ with BBC 6 Music’s Chris Hawkins, and The Offside Rule. The move into a dedicated recording space marks the company’s next stage of growth.

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