Year: 2025

The Radio Academy has revealed the list of Mentees and Mentors participating in this year’s Radio Academy Mentoring Programme – RAMP.
Twenty mentees from across the industry have been selected to receive six months of mentoring from an industry leader, peer support and leadership training.
The announcement follows a competitive selection process led by Chair of Judges Adele Cross, producer of BBC Radio 1Xtra Breakfast with Nadia Jae. 
Now in its fourth year, RAMP is supported by Broadcast Bionics and BBC Sounds. It is aimed at anyone working in any area of radio and audio, who has at least five years professional experience.
Each mentee will benefit from confidential one-to-one mentoring sessions, as well as peer development and valuable leadership skills through a series of seminars and training workshops delivered by RAMP Lead Fran Plowright. 
Fran Plowright is the founder of Meet a Mentor a programme designed to support emerging talent by carefully pairing media professionals with bespoke mentors.
The mentees come from all fields of the industry including production, technical, presenting, journalism, management and digital.
Introducing the 2025 Radio Academy Mentoring Programme cohort:

Bea Duncan – Senior Producer, Intelligence Squared
Ben Carpenter – Managing Director, Rakkit Productions
Bethan Davies – Broadcast Journalist, Freelance
Cassandra Maria – Programme Manager, Premier Christian Communications
Debbie Kilbride – Audio Producer, Freelance
Dhruti Shah – Producer, Freelance
Hazel Morgan-Chu – Journalist, BBC Radio 4
Ilona Toller- Producer, Freelance
James Shield – Audio Producer, Freelance
Jessica Gunasekara – Development Producer, Overcoat Media
Jessica Memon – CEO, Asian Community Radio DAB
Katie Baxter – Producer and Sound Designer, Freelance
Kelly Crichton – Podcast Producer, National World / Laudable Podcasts
Lucinda Rouse – Senior Multimedia Reporter, Haymarket Media Group
Marianne Garvey – Managing Editor, National Prison Radio
Meic Parry – Sound Designer and Producer, Freelance
Rebecca Grisedale-Sherry – Digital Producer, BBC Audio
Roland Moore – Writer, Big Finish
Sue Bowerman – Senior Lecturer in Radio, University of West London
Tom Whalley – Founder / CEO, TBone Productions

By matching participants with an experienced senior leader in the industry, RAMP will offer connections across the breadth of the audio industry at the highest levels. The 2025 mentors include senior figures from the BBC, commercial broadcasters and independent production companies:

Adele Cross, Producer, BBC 1Xtra
Camilla Byk, Co-Founder, Podium.me
Chris Skinner, Vice President and Head of Content, Sony Music
Gloria Abramoff, Managing Director, Creators Inc
Innes Bowen, Executive Producer, BBC Studios
Jo Meek, Head of Factual and Development, Audio Always
Joby Waldman, MD, Reduced Listening
Mark Strippel, Content Consultant
Mike Newman, Vice President, UK Content and Production, Audioboom
Nick Callaghan, Director of Sales UK, Spotify
Nicky Birch, Director of Formats, BBC Sounds
Nicole Logan, Executive Producer, Goalhanger
Nikki Tapper, Presenter, BBC Radio WM
Rachel Barton, MD, We Are Grape
Ray Paul, Creative Director, The Playmaker Group
Rebecca Frank, Content Director, KISS
Russell Crewe, Producer and Executive Producer, Freelance
Selina Ream, Senior Producer, Sony Music
Sophie Herdman, Global Content Partnership Director, Acast
Tony Phillips, Podcast Executive and consultant, Freelance
Victoria Easton-Riley, Content Director for Bauer Scotland

Aradhna Tayal Leach, Managing Director of The Radio Academy said:
“I firmly believe in lifelong learning and that everyone can benefit from mentoring and development support, whatever stage in their career. RAMP looks to nurture and bolster people at a critical point in their professional audio journey, when they are searching for their next steps and might feel stuck on how to advance to the next level. Many previous mentees have gone on to achieve lifelong ambitions, or to change path completely, with the confidence and support they gain from the programme and fellow RAMPers. I look forward to seeing the 2025 cohort embark on the next stage of their journey.”
The full list of mentees and mentors, along with biographies, is available here.

Radiodays Europe is happening in March 2025 – use code RTY25ATH to get a discount and join us in Athens! More..

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Three new presenters are joining BBC Radio 1 to take over the Friday Early Breakfast slot on a monthly rotation.
Dan Draper, Alice Hopkins and Cloe Lee are the next wave of presenters set to host the show which launched in January 2021.
All three presenters were given their first opportunity to host on Radio 1 during the 2024 festive period as part of the Christmas Takeover – an initiative created by Head of Radio 1, Aled Haydn Jones, to showcase and support the next generation of presenting talent.
Kicking off the rotation will be Dan Draper from Harlow who will take on Friday Early Breakfast in February. Dan currently presents a weekly show on community station Riverside Radio and is also a podcast host. He presented Radio 1 Anthems during the 2024 Christmas period.
Dan says: “I had such a great time hosting Radio 1 Anthems as part of the Christmas Takeover 2024, that I’m back!! I’m super excited to be hosting Early Breakfast every Friday in February. So expect a lot of energy and laughs to start your Fridays in the best way!”
Next up, taking the reins in March, will be Edinburgh-native Alice Hopkins. Alice has had presenting gigs on BBC Radio London and BBC Radio Oxford, Berkshire and Solent hosting a variety of shows including BBC Introducing, and hosted Radio 1 Anthems during the 2024 Christmas period.
Alice Hopkins says: “I’m so beyond buzzing to start people’s Friday mornings with some Scottish tones and chatter come March!!
“Presenting Friday Early Breakfast on Radio 1 is something I’ve dreamt of doing for so many years now – ever since it launched as an opportunity for new presenters. March can’t come soon enough!”
Taking on the slot in April will be 25-year-old Cloe Lee from Brentwood. Alongside her day job in social media, Cloe has hosted shows on an independent digital radio station – including her own queer country show – and during the 2024 Christmas period took over Radio 1 Anthems.
Cloe Lee says: “From sneakily listening to Radio 1 in French lessons, to performing my own jingles in Year 4… I’ve wanted to be on the radio my entire life! What a dream to be back on Radio 1, I had the best time presenting at Christmas and can’t wait to be on every Friday morning in April! Let’s be havin’ ya!”
Aled Haydn Jones, Head of Radio 1, says: “Supporting and developing new presenting talent is at the heart of what we do at Radio 1, and the Friday Early Breakfast slot has been a key part of that since its launch in 2021.
“I’m excited to welcome three new presenters from our 2024 Christmas Takeover initiative and can’t wait to see what they do with their shows.”

Radiodays Europe is happening in March 2025 – use code RTY25ATH to get a discount and join us in Athens! More..

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