Capital Summertime Ball 2024

[James R]

Date: 25.04.2011

Category: Radio 1; 1Xtra

Following the success of last year's BFBS Day on BBC Radio 1, the network's sister station BBC Radio 1Xtra has announced today (Monday 25 April 2011) that Tim Westwood will be broadcasting his show live from Camp Bastion, the main base for British troops in Afghanistan, for five consecutive days from Monday 30 May 2011.

The digital station has teamed up with BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Service) to simulcast Westwood's show from the base, linking live with the BFBS Radio studio on the ground in Afghanistan, across the UK and to British Forces in more than 20 countries.

On Bank Holiday Monday 30 May, Westwood kicks off the live broadcasts with his 4pm-7pm show airing across Radio 1, 1Xtra and BFBS Radio.

Then, from Tuesday 31 May to Friday 3 June, his show will be simulcast across 1Xtra and BFBS Radio from 4pm to 7pm and will also be simulcast on Radio 1 for the last hour (6pm-7pm).

Tim Westwood said: "I really can't wait to go out to Camp Bastion to show some love and appreciation for the difficult job our troops are doing and the extreme sacrifices they are making. The shows are going to be great and I hope they will make a difference."

This is Radio 1's second collaboration with BFBS. On Bank Holiday Monday 31 May 2010, Radio 1 and BFBS Radio teamed up for a special day of broadcasting, which saw BFBS presenters Richard Hatch and Jessie Aru at their studio in Camp Bastion linking live with Radio 1 daytime DJs Dev, Fearne Cotton, Greg James and Scott Mills between 9am and 7pm for messages and stories from the Forces in Afghanistan.

In July 2010 Radio 1 and BFBS Radio were presented with the President's Award at the inaugural Royal British Legion (RBL) Friends of the Forces Awards in recognition of the two broadcasters' inspirational link-ups.

Ben Cooper, Deputy Controller, BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra, said: "My ambition is that BBC Radio 1Xtra will reflect what it feels like to be a young person living and working in Camp Bastion. Last year's BFBS Day was a significant moment in Radio 1's history, and I'm confident that this year's broadcasts will build on those relationships between the BBC, BFBS, the people we meet and their families."

Nicky Ness, Controller, BFBS Radio, added: "The team at BFBS is really excited about working with Radio 1 and 1Xtra again to help connect the fantastic forces community in Afghanistan with the world back home. The news that Tim Westwood is prepared to go and broadcast from our Camp Bastion studios is fantastic, with the promise of great music, entertainment and a real morale boost for operational troops."

BBC Radio 1Xtra has recently enjoyed the best listening figures in its history, with 816,000 young people now listening, making it the nation's fastest-growing digital youth station.

In January 2011 1Xtra launched an exciting new daytime schedule with Twin B taking over the Breakfast slot and previous Breakfast hosts Trevor Nelson and Gemma Cairney moving to present solo shows on the network.

Notes to Editors

About BFBS

BFBS Radio is available on DAB digital radio, Sky Guide 0211 and Freesat Channel 786 in the UK and on FM in more than 20 countries around the Forces' World.

BFBS is part of the Services charity SSVC, which includes BFBS TV, providing 10 TV channels for Forces and their families worldwide; CSE Forces entertainment, putting on live shows; SSCV Cinemas; The British Defence Film Library and SSVC Retail.

BFBS Radio received a Sony Radio Academy Special Award in May 2010 in recognition of a contribution by BFBS to the radio industry that reaches beyond the normal bounds of the Awards.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2011/04_april/25/westwood.shtml

[DylanDConti]

You'd think they'd have sent Trevor Nelson out there, he does things on his 1Xtra show like Real Talk and has a show on Radio 2 - surely he's more appropriate? The last thing those troops need with them is someone shouting

'Drop the bomb baby!'