Can we have more Lovejoy, too?
Cock it. If ever a radio station lost its way, it’s BBC Radio Five Barely Alive:
BBC Radio 5 Live will make changes to its morning schedule from the New Year, it was announced today.
The new schedule includes a changed role for Nicky Campbell who will once again take calls from listeners in an extended 5 Live Breakfast.
Campbell, who hosted the 5 Live phone-in between 1997 and 2003, will take an hour of calls from listeners on the big news story of the day between 9.00 and 10.00am in a reshaped breakfast programme.
5 Live Breakfast is extended, from 6.00 to 10.00am weekdays, with current co-host Shelagh Fogarty opening the programme at 6.00am, and Nicky Campbell joining her at 7.00am.
Victoria Derbyshire’s programme (weekdays, 10.00am-1.00pm) will focus on original journalism – much of it coming direct from 5 Live listeners.
Midday News on 5 Live is now taken out of the schedule but Aasmah Mir will continue to be an important part of 5 Live’s team of presenters, hosting a range of programmes on the station over the coming months.
Nicky Campbell said: “It’s great to be taking calls from listeners and hosting debate which I love doing, and still to be able to work with Shelagh is a double bonus.”
Still, it’s less time for him to spend on his writing career, I suppose.