BBC Radio 1 to shake-up schedule amid coronavirus crisis
Presenters like Greg James will host longer shows, while presenters Scott Mills and Clara Amfo will work on rotation
BBC Radio 1 has announced a major shake-up of its output amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In order to lower the number of presenters and staff needed in the studio, daytime shows will increase in length, reducing the number of weekday programmes from four to five between 4am and 7pm.
A smaller count of presenters mean that some DJs, including Scott Mills and Clara Amfo, will rotate each week, starting Monday 30th March.
The BBC says that the measures have been brought in to “best protect” staff and presenters while still “offering a valuable source of news, education and much-needed entertainment” for as long as possible.
Aled Haydn Jones, Head of Programmes at Radio 1, says: “In these testing times I’ve made the decision to simplify our schedule to ensure the health of our teams, presenters and the network itself.
“I’m very proud of how the Radio 1 teams have been able to continue to entertain and inform our audience under such difficult conditions, and we’ll be doing our best to carry on throughout the challenging weeks ahead.”
BBC Radio 6 is also set to make similar changes across its schedules, extending weekend shows (details of which can be seen below).
New BBC Radio 1 schedule (starting 30th March)
Monday-Thursday
4-7am: Early Breakfast with Adele Roberts
7-11am: Radio 1 Breakfast with Greg James
11am-3pm: Week one: Scott Mills | Week two: Clara Amfo
3-7pm: Nick Grimshaw
Friday
4-7am: Weekend Early Breakfast with Arielle Free
7-11am: Weekend Breakfast with Matt and Mollie
11am-3pm: Week one: Dev and Alice | Week two: Maya Jama | Week three: Jordan North
3-7pm: Scott Mills with Radio 1’s Official Chart and Radio 1’s Party Anthems
Saturday
5-7am: Weekend Early Breakfast with Arielle Free
7-11am: Weekend Breakfast with Matt and Mollie
11am-3pm: Week one: Dev and Alice | Week two: Maya Jama | Week three: Jordan North
3-7pm: Radio 1’s Dance Anthems
Sunday
5-7am: Weekend Early Breakfast with Arielle Free
7-11am: Weekend Breakfast with Matt and Mollie
11am-3pm: Week one: Dev and Alice | Week two: Maya Jama | Week three: Jordan North
3-7pm: Radio 1’s Life Hacks and The Official Chart: First Look
New BBC 6 Music schedule (starting 28th March)
Saturday
5-8am: Chris Hawkins
8-11am: Radcliffe & Maconie
11am-2pm: The Huey Show
2-6pm: Gilles Peterson
6-9pm: The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show
9pm-midnight: The Tom Robinson Show
Sunday
5-8am: Chris Hawkins
8-11am: Radcliffe & Maconie
11am-2pm: Cerys Matthews
2-3pm: Sunday Special
3-6pm: Guy Garvey
6-8pm: Now Playing @6Music
8-10pm: Stuart Maconie’s Freak Zone
10pm-midnight: Don Letts’ Culture Clash Radio
