BBC Radio 6 Music presenter Lauren Laverne will take over the breakfast show next year as part of several changes to the digital station’s schedule.
Shaun Keaveny, the host of the breakfast show since 2007, will move to the weekday afternoon slot with Music News presenter Matt Everitt. Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie will move from weekday afternoons to a new Weekend Breakfast Show. Mary Anne Hobbs will move from weekends to the weekday morning slot currently hosted by Lauren Laverne.
Steve Lamacq’s weekday afternoon show continues in its current slot. A new start and finish time for the weekday Breakfast Show will see Chris Hawkins’ earlier show extended by half an hour. The station says next year’s changes will be the most significant since 2012.
“I’m so excited about our new show and delighted to be part of the next phase of 6 Music’s evolution, said Lauren Laverne, new host of the breakfast show.”
“Whatever the day brings for our listeners we intend to get them ready for it with a fantastic selection of music and guests who have something worth hearing to say. I can’t wait to get started!”
The digital-only station was launched alongside BBC Radio 1Xtra and BBC 7 (now BBC Radio 4 Extra) in 2002. Once threatened with closure in 2010, BBC Radio 6 Music is now the most popular digital-only radio station in the UK with 2.44 million listeners each week.
Paul Rodgers, Head of 6 Music, says: “Much-loved presenters playing amazing music is at the heart of what 6 Music does, and these schedule changes will help deliver an even greater range of music on the station across daytime and weekends.”
The new daytime and weekend schedule will launch in early 2019. BBC Radio 6 Music is available on DAB digital radio, digital television, online and in apps.