UK

Voiceover artist and performer Elisa Canas has joined BBC Radio to present a brand-new Saturday Breakfast show across the Channel Islands.

Broadcast every Saturday from 6am to 10am, the pan-island programme airs on BBC Radio Jersey and BBC Radio Guernsey, marking Elisa’s first move into live radio after years of voice work for stations and commercials across the islands and beyond.
Before taking on the new role, Elisa was well known to Channel 103 and Island FM audiences as the station voice for Tindle Radio Group, alongside Dave Wartnaby.
Her return to local airwaves comes after a long career in voiceover, which saw her win Best Radio Commercial Performance at the One Voice Awards in 2021.
Elisa said: “As a Jersey girl, I’m so excited to have the opportunity to present my own radio show across the Channel Islands. I left Jersey at 13 to train professionally at the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London, where my voiceover career began. Now, more than 20 years later, I’m delighted that my path has led me home to extend my career into live radio with BBC Channel Islands.”
She described the move from studio voice work to live presenting as “a totally different beast”, adding that she loves the challenge and the chance to connect with listeners in real time.

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Ofcom has launched a consultation proposing new rules to guarantee access to UK radio via voice assistant platforms such as Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant.

The plans mark the next step in implementing listener safeguards following the Media Act passed last year, which aims to ensure that radio remains freely and reliably available on smart speakers.
Ofcom’s report recommends that Amazon, Google and Apple be designated by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy as “significant platforms for radio listening”.
This means their voice assistants would be required to meet specific obligations, including ensuring that stations requested by name play correctly, access is free of charge, and that no additional content such as unauthorised adverts is overlaid on broadcasts.
The regulator says the move is designed to protect radio’s role as a trusted and freely accessible service at a time when nearly a third of all listening now takes place online, with smart speakers accounting for 18 per cent of those hours.
Ofcom’s consultation runs until 11 December, and the final framework is expected to come into force in 2026.
Matt Payton, Chief Executive of Radiocentre, said: “Radio listeners must be able to access their favourite stations simply and reliably on voice activated devices like smart speakers.
“Ofcom’s recommendations are a welcome first step in putting this into practice and ensuring that radio can continue to reach audiences with its valuable mix of music, information and entertainment.”

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BBC Radio 3 has hired Edith Bowman as the new presenter of Sound of Cinema, its flagship programme celebrating film music.

Broadcast every Saturday at 4pm, Edith will explore classic and contemporary movie scores through interviews, themed selections and special features that highlight the emotional power of music on screen.
Her debut show on 1 November includes an exclusive conversation with Oscar-winning composer Rachel Portman, with future guests set to include Alan Silvestri, Dame Emma Thompson and Graham Norton.
Edith is widely known for her award-winning Soundtracking podcast, where she has spoken with leading filmmakers and composers such as Greta Gerwig, Martin Scorsese, Hans Zimmer and Mica Levi. She will continue the podcast alongside her new BBC Radio 3 role, and remains part of Radio 3 Unwind with Cinematic Soundtracks.
Edith said: “Film and music are two of my passions that I’m very lucky to enthuse about in my work. I’m excited to add Sound of Cinema to that, and to share so much incredible music with the audience.”
The programme will be produced by BBC Audio’s new production unit based in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

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More than 400 podcasting and audio companies across the UK have united to urge the government to recognise their sector as part of the UK’s Creative Industries.

The open letter, led by AudioUK and signed by producers, studios and networks representing around 12,000 people, calls for formal recognition of podcasting and audio as a stand-alone creative industry with access to the same support as other cultural sectors.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has now confirmed plans to commission a major research study to collect data on the UK’s podcasting and audio landscape, with results expected in 2026. The study will examine the industry’s size, workforce and economic impact, covering podcasting, radio and audiobooks.
AudioUK says this marks a significant step towards building the evidence needed for future policy change and targeted support. The organisation is also working with DCMS to create a dedicated SIC code to classify podcasting and audio companies, which currently sit under unrelated business categories.
Chloe Straw, Chief Executive of AudioUK, said the industry’s rapid expansion and cultural importance demand proper recognition. “Podcasting and audio have become central to how audiences experience storytelling, journalism and entertainment,” she said. “It creates jobs across the UK and brings British stories to international audiences. Despite this growth, government policy has not kept pace with its impact.”
Among the sector’s key requests are a seat for an audio representative on the Creative Industries Council, a dedicated tax relief scheme, and a new IP Development Fund to encourage innovation and exports.
AudioUK’s full open letter and campaign report, along with the list of signatories, are available at audiouk.org

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Classic FM will once again offer a calming retreat for pets and their owners as fireworks season begins, with the return of its annual Pet Classics programmes.

The two shows air on Bonfire Night, Wednesday 5 November from 5pm to 9pm with Dan Walker, and on Saturday 8 November from 5pm to 9pm with Charlotte Hawkins, timed to coincide with the noisiest nights of the year.
Now in its eighth year, Pet Classics is designed to help anxious animals relax, featuring a carefully curated mix of soothing classical music and advice from the RSPCA. The charity says almost two-thirds of pet owners report that their animals are affected by loud fireworks, and that playing calm music is one of the most effective ways to help them settle.
New for this year, Charlotte is also hosting a weekly Pet Classics series every Friday at 9pm until the end of October. The programmes are being sponsored for the first time by Go.Compare Pet Insurance.
Dan said: “It’s such a special programme to present. It’s always lovely to hear what our listeners and their pets are up to, but it’s also about the calming classical music and the practical advice for anyone who might be struggling.”
Charlotte added: “We know that classical music has a positive and calming effect on humans and animals, and I can’t wait to see that in action through the thousands of photos and videos we receive.”
Classic FM’s Deputy Managing Editor Joseph Zubier said the partnership with the RSPCA continues this year, adding that Pet Classics “brings the perfect mix of music, comfort and community to listeners and their pets.”

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Folded Wing’s BBC Radio 3 show Round Midnight has been named Jazz Media Award winner at the 2025 Parliamentary Jazz Awards.

Hosted by saxophonist and composer Soweto Kinch, the late-night weekday show launched last year and has become BBC Radio 3’s flagship jazz programme, blending live sessions, festival recordings and new music from the UK and beyond.
The Parliamentary Jazz Awards recognise the breadth and creativity of the British jazz scene, celebrating artists, broadcasters and producers who champion the genre.
Karen Pearson, CEO and Founder of Folded Wing, said the team were proud of the recognition. “To be nominated for Round Midnight in its first year of programming is testament to the hard work the Folded Wing team and Soweto put in each night.
Thank you to the listeners, the jazz world for embracing and supporting the show and BBC Radio 3 and Sam Jackson for believing in us.”
Sam Jackson, Controller of BBC Radio 3 and BBC Proms, added that Round Midnight had “gone from strength to strength”, calling the award “a richly deserved reflection of their hard work, creativity, and commitment to the vibrant British jazz scene”.
The show’s collaboration with BBC Introducing has helped spotlight emerging musicians, with guests such as corto.alto and Emma Rawicz later earning national recognition and award wins. Other guests this year have included Zara McFarlane, Mark Kavuma, and Rivkala, alongside international names like Theo Croker and Joe Webb.
Folded Wing, based in Southend, with team members in London, Coventry, Oxford and Newcastle, is known for producing programmes across BBC networks and beyond. The company continues to grow its reputation as one of the UK’s most active producers of jazz content.
Two Southend-connected artists also featured among this year’s nominees: saxophonist Maddy Coombs and vocalist Olivia Cuttill, who won The Martin Hummel Award, both of whom performed at last week’s Southend Jazz Festival in association with Folded Wing.

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