News / News Wire
Changes at Radio Bristol as presenter quits
BBC Radio Bristol’s flagship breakfast show will have a new solo presenter as part of a new year shake up of the station’s schedule.
Emma Britton, who currently presents BBC Somerset’s breakfast show will take over from Laura Rawlings and Steve le Fevre, who announced last week he would be quitting in January after six years at the helm.
Britton will pick up the mantle as of January for the show which covers Bristol, Bath, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire between 6.30am-9.am.
The change will mean Laura Rawlings, who joined the breakfast show in September 2014, will be moving to the drivetime show from 4pm-6pm every day in place of Geoff Twentyman. Twentyman will be launching a new daily sports programme from 6pm.
Hello! Here’s the big show news… I’m starting a brand new show in Jan @bbcrb, weekdays, 4pm-6pm ???? #Bristol #Bath pic.twitter.com/FSUUgNMhui
— Laura Rawlings (@laurarawlings) December 7, 2015
The move come as BBC Radio Bristol has experienced a dip in listeners in the last year. The audience has gone from 151,000 per week at the end of last year to 103,000 in the third quarter of this year.
But listening numbers at the end of last year were the highest since 2010. The station has a 5.1 per cent share of listeners amongst local competition.
Le Fevre announced the news he was leaving last week to his 1,700 followers on Twitter:
Breaking news ???? After 6 years my stint on #RadioBristol ends in Jan. Been a blast. #Great friends #terrificlisteners pic.twitter.com/9EgEN5au3r
— Steve le Fevre (@steve_lefevre) December 3, 2015
Jess Rudkin, managing editor of BBC Radio Bristol, said on Monday: “I’m really excited about our new weekday line-up, it’s packed with character. Emma is brilliant: bright, funny, totally down to earth and West Country through and through.
“Laura is hugely popular with our listeners and loves getting out into the diverse communities we broadcast to: we’ll build her new show entirely around her personality.
“And what more could sports fans want than programmes purely dedicated to the team or sport they love, presented by someone with Geoff’s passion and knowledge?”
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