UK

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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Sara Cox is set to take on Radio 2’s longest-ever challenge this November for BBC Children in Need.

The Teatime Show host will complete five marathons in five days, covering 135 miles on foot from Kielder Forest on the Scottish border to Pudsey in Leeds, carrying a Pudsey Bear backpack along the way.
The Great Northern Marathon Challenge will run from Monday 10 November to Friday 14 November, taking Sara through Northumberland, Durham, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire. She will rely entirely on her own efforts, either running, jogging or walking across moorland, ridges and hills, before finishing in Pudsey on the Friday afternoon.
Sara said: “When they picked me to get Pudsey to Pudsey, I was honoured and horrified in equal measure – we’re talking 135 miles of hills, moors and blisters – but I am ready for the challenge, and I will absolutely be giving it everything I’ve got. Just like with Vernon and Paddy, I know the brilliant Radio 2 listeners will be with me every step of the way.”
Her fellow presenters will keep listeners updated live on air throughout the challenge, sharing support and encouragement. A BBC TV crew will also follow the journey for a behind-the-scenes documentary to air later in November.
Paddy McGuinness, who last year raised £10.3m with his cycling challenge, said: “I know exactly what Sara will be going through so I and the rest of the Radio 2 family will be supporting her every step of the way, especially up all those hills.”
Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2, said: “This is an extraordinarily tough five-day challenge that will test her endurance as she crosses stunning but demanding terrain to get Pudsey Bear to his home county of Yorkshire. I would like to thank Sara for taking on this mammoth journey.”
As part of the fundraising, Radio 2 will also host a Gala Performance of ABBA Voyage at the ABBA Arena in London on Sunday 9 November, presented by Scott Mills. The concert will include digital performances by ABBA alongside a live ten-piece band, with Scott warming up the crowd with a DJ set before the show begins at 1pm.
BBC Children in Need is encouraging the public to get involved by setting their own walking or running challenges, whether it is a mile at school or a weekend hike, to raise money for children and young people across the UK.
Sara’s challenge continues a long line of Radio 2 fundraisers for the appeal, including Paddy McGuinness’ Ultra Endurance Cycle in 2024, Vernon Kay’s Ultra Ultra Marathon in 2023, Scott Mills’ TreadMills Challenge in 2022 and Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Danceathon in 2021.

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Alex Duffy and Emma Jones are reuniting on Nation Radio Yorkshire this weekend. […]

Broadcaster Pete Murray is returning to radio to celebrate his 100th birthday today.
Murray, who first made his name on Radio Luxembourg in the early 1950s before moving to the BBC Light Programme, Radio 1 and later Radio 2, will host a special edition of The Boom Top Five at 11am on Boom Radio.
The programme will count down the biggest songs from his birthday week in 1963, featuring tracks by Cliff Richard and The Beatles.
Although he appeared regularly on television in the early years of pop, Murray has often said radio was his true love.
He presented Open House on Radio 2 for a decade, attracting millions of listeners, and was twice voted BBC Radio Personality of the Year in the 1970s.
He was one of the original DJs when BBC Radio 1 launched in 1967, helping to establish the new network as it targeted a younger audience, and later became a key part of Radio 2’s daytime line-up.
Murray was also closely associated with Eurovision coverage for the BBC, fronting UK heats and providing commentary on both radio and TV. Beyond music, he was heard on shows from Family Favourites to Open House, shaping daytime radio for millions of listeners across three decades.
Fellow Boom presenter David Hamilton has credited Murray with inspiring his own six-decade career. Murray’s ad-libbing style and warmth also influenced Kenny Everett and many others who followed.
Speaking ahead of his centenary broadcast, Murray reflected: “I really didn’t expect to be here on my hundredth birthday. Now, I’m looking forward to the 200th.”
Pete was also given a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Grand Order of Water Rats, presented to him by Mike Read.

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