UK

BBC 5 Live’s Matt Chorley has interviewed Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey while riding the zip line from Bournemouth Pier during his party’s conference in the town.
The conversation is being described as the first, and possibly only, interview to be conducted mid-air above the seafront.
It came as the party’s annual conference brought delegates from across the country to Bournemouth, with debates and speeches taking place at the Bournemouth International Centre.
Ed Davey was seen chatting while gliding along the line, and was asked what he thinks of Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer. His reply? “He’s having a tough time. He needs to help disabled people..”
It follows last year’s interview between the two which took place on a rollercoaster in Brighton.

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An interview about carnivorous plants took over the output of KISSTORY on Monday afternoon after a studio switching error.
The technical issue meant Flowers by Sweet Female Attitude was abruptly interrupted for around 10 minutes with off-air chat and a pre-recorded interview meant for another network.
It happened between 12.30pm and 1pm today, during Marvin Humes’s show, who continued oblivious to the incident afterwards.
Meanwhile, Ellie Prohan, who took over at 1pm, managed to reference the incident at around 1.30pm saying it was due to ‘transition issues’.
Bauer told RadioToday: “Due to a technical issue earlier today, instead of hearing Flowers by Sweet Female Attitude some KISSTORY listeners were treated to an unexpected horticultural chat about carnivorous plants.
“We’re very sorry and steps have been taken to make sure this doesn’t grow into anything else.”

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Community radio operator Churnet Sound has been found in breach of its licence conditions after Ofcom ruled the station failed to deliver key elements of its promised service.

The regulator investigated following a complaint about whether the station was meeting its Key Commitments.
These include focusing on social isolation and rural deprivation, involving local people in running the station, and ensuring accountability to its target community.
Between 19 and 25 May this year, Ofcom found Churnet Sound’s services in Stoke, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Congleton and Leek were broadcasting identical content and not sufficiently addressing its community focus. Although local news bulletins and a “Community Notice Board” were aired, Ofcom said there was limited presenter-led programming engaging directly with the issues of social isolation and rural deprivation.
The station also failed to demonstrate how volunteers could contribute to its management, or how it was accountable to its audience. Ofcom noted plans to create a new volunteer management committee but said no evidence was provided that mechanisms were currently in place.
In addition, Ofcom said Churnet Sound did not supply a programme schedule when requested and initially failed to provide 45 hours of required recordings. Although these were later submitted, the regulator found the delays and missing information meant the station had breached further licence conditions.
Churnet Sound told Ofcom it had faced disruption after alleged sabotage from a former volunteer and confirmed it was working to strengthen compliance, including new recording back-up systems and efforts to recruit more volunteers. It also indicated plans to surrender its licence for Leek and Congleton to focus on serving Stoke and Newcastle-under-Lyme, though no formal request has been received.
Ofcom concluded that the station was in breach of Licence Conditions 2(1), 2(3), 9(2)(b) and 10(1), and said it expected the operator to take immediate steps to rectify the issues.

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Bauer Media Audio UK has announced Rightmove as the first sponsor of Hits Radio’s Saturday morning show with Sam Thompson.

The three-month deal also covers Sam’s Sunday evening UK Chart Show, giving Rightmove a presence across both flagship weekend slots.
As part of the campaign, Hits Radio will run an on-air promotion through September, October and November offering listeners the chance to win cash towards home improvements. The activity is supported by a co-branded online page and short-form video content across Hits Radio’s social platforms.
Sam’s voice features in bespoke 30-second audio trails directing audiences to the creative page, while all campaign assets highlight that listeners can browse the UK’s largest selection of homes on Rightmove.
Simon Kilby, Managing Director of Bauer Advertising, said: “Sam’s gone from King of the Jungle to King of Weekend radio. He’s a Nation’s favourite and has a special bond with the Hits Radio listeners. The new partnership with Rightmove allows us to combine Sam’s personality with Rightmove’s innovative product – delivering impactful audio and original social content.”
Matt Bushby, Chief Marketing Officer at Rightmove, said: “Radio gives us a unique opportunity to reach people in a personal and trusted environment, while Sam’s brilliant energy will bring our brand to life in unexpected and entertaining ways.”
The sponsorship was arranged through WPP Media’s Wavemaker team. Katherine Erskine, Media Lead at Wavemaker, described the partnership as “a strategic move that showcases the continued power of audio in today’s media landscape.”

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Europe’s Biggest Dance Show is back on Friday 26 September, with BBC Radio 1 joining twelve other stations across eleven countries for its largest broadcast yet.

The all-night simulcast will showcase the best of each nation’s Dance music scene, beginning at 6pm BST with a half-hour mix from Radio 1’s Danny Howard before crossing live to BBC Radio 1’s European Broadcasting Union partners.
This year’s line-up sees more stations and more countries involved than ever before, with sets from major UK acts, Europe’s leading DJs, and a special closing show from Ukraine.
Head of Radio 1, Aled Haydn Jones, said: “It’s brilliant to be joining forces with so many of our European partners once again, and this year’s show is our biggest yet. With more countries and stations than ever before, it’s going to be an incredible night of Dance music for millions of listeners across the continent.”
The event first launched in 2019 and has since become a fixture in the Dance music calendar, drawing millions of listeners and uniting European audiences through one shared broadcast.
Listeners in the UK can hear the full event on BBC Radio 1 and Radio 1 Dance from 6pm BST, with Danny hosting a warm-up show from 5pm on Radio 1 Dance.
Participating stations include RTÉ 2FM in Ireland, 1LIVE and Fritz in Germany, Radio FM4 in Austria, Sveriges Radio P3 in Sweden, ERR Raadio 2 in Estonia, Studio Brussel in Belgium, NRK mP3 in Norway, YleX in Finland, NPO 3FM in the Netherlands, and Radio Promin in Ukraine.

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Actor Colson Smith is launching a new Saturday daytime show on BBC Radio Leeds, York and Sheffield from this weekend.

From 10am to 2pm every Saturday, Colson will share his love of Yorkshire alongside music, news and local updates. Best known for playing Craig Tinker in Coronation Street, he says the new role allows him to connect with the communities he grew up in.
Colson said: “I’m so honoured to be able to join BBC Local Radio in Leeds. While many know me from my time in Weatherfield on the telly – Yorkshire is where I grew up, and it still holds a special place in my heart. To be able to entertain communities from across this fantastic region is a dream come true – and I can’t wait for listeners to tune in!”
Simon Monk, Executive Editor for BBC Radio Leeds, said Colson’s energy and passion for storytelling will bring something new to the weekend line-up, while confirming that Nick Ahad will continue to present on Sundays.
Nick, who has been hosting Saturdays, will now present his show every Sunday from 10am to 2pm across all BBC Local Radio stations in Yorkshire.
The new line-up begins this weekend, with Colson on air from Saturday 20 September and Nick continuing the following day.

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