BBC Radio 1 has announced an exciting new summer schedule set to go live from Monday, 3 July. The shake-up includes a host of changes, with presenters Yinka Bokinni and Conor Knight taking over the Friday Early Breakfast slot as part of a monthly rotation.
Renowned presenter and DJ, Yinka Bokinni, will dominate the airwaves in August. Hailing from South London, Yinka has already left an indelible mark in the television and radio industry. Her impressive portfolio includes hosting credits for The MOBOs, 4Music, and the Isle of Wight Festival for Sky Arts. She has also featured in several Channel 4 documentaries, most notably the critically acclaimed ‘Damilola: The Boy Next Door.’ Yinka’s most recent venture saw her hosting Capital Xtra’s Breakfast Show for three years.
Expressing her enthusiasm, Yinka Bokinni shares, “I am beyond excited to embark on this new chapter at BBC Radio 1. Music is the heartbeat of my life, so bringing more of it to people is a tremendous opportunity that I take very seriously, as much as my personality allows. Working at Radio 1 has been a lifelong dream of mine since I first picked up a pair of headphones and uttered a few words. I can’t wait to get acquainted with the listeners and vice versa!”
Joining the rotation in July is 28-year-old Conor Knight from Essex. Conor received his first hosting opportunity on the station during the 2022 festive period as part of Radio 1’s Christmas Takeover. This initiative, conceived by Head of BBC Radio 1, Aled Haydn Jones, witnessed Conor presenting Radio 1 Anthems. Conor’s journey commenced on community radio in 2017, and he currently hosts a mid-morning show on Radio Essex and an evening show on Fun Kids radio.
An ecstatic Conor Knight exclaims, “Radio 1 has always been an integral part of my life, and being asked back after covering Radio 1 Anthems during Christmas is an absolute dream come true. I can’t wait to enter the studio and do my thing on Friday early breakfast. The alarms are already set…ahhhh…see you there!!”
In other news, the Radio 1 Breakfast Show with Greg James will undergo a time slot change for the summer. Listeners can now catch the popular show from 7.30 am to 11 am (Monday to Friday). Greg will begin and end his show thirty minutes later to ensure fans don’t miss out on any of his morning antics.
Greg James cheerfully remarks, “A summer holiday lie-in! I’ll tell my mum to wake me up a bit later for a few weeks.”
As part of the new summer schedule, Jack Saunders will take the helm of Radio 1’s Future Sounds, bringing his expertise to the station’s flagship new music show while Clara Amfo takes a well-deserved summer break. Arielle Free will be entrusted with hosting Radio 1’s Future Artists (Monday to Wednesday, 8 pm to 10 pm), while Sam MacGregor and Danni Diston will cover Radio 1 Early Breakfast (Monday to Thursday, 5 am to 7.30 am). Additionally, Alyx Holcombe will present Radio 1’s Indie Show (Sundays, 9 pm to 11 pm).
Joining Katie Thistleton to co-host Radio 1’s Life Hacks (Sundays, 4 pm to 6 pm) will be Shanequa Paris. Shanequa, a presenter on CBBC’s news programme Newsround, has tackled significant topics such as the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Taking over Radio 1’s Weekend Breakfast show (Saturdays and Sundays, 7 am to 10 am) will be Oré Olukoga, hailing from Hackney. Oré, who participated in Radio 1’s Christmas Takeover 2022, took the reins of Friday Early Breakfast in March after trying his hand at hosting Radio 1 Anthems.
Aled Haydn Jones, Head of BBC Radio 1, expresses his excitement about the summer schedule, stating, “The summer is a time for different routines and have some fun for our audience. I’m totally up for Radio 1 doing the same! I look forward to hearing some of our presenters in different summer slots, and I extend the warmest welcome to Conor, Yinka, Shanequa, and Oré for their summer shows on the network.”
The new summer schedule will be implemented on Monday, 3 July, with the regular Radio 1 schedule resuming on Monday, 4 September.
