The BBC radio station will finalise its relocation in April…
BBC Asian Network will start the final phase of its move to Birmingham with all shows set to broadcast from the city by Monday 28th April, as part of the Beeb’s Across the UK plans.
Ahmed Hussain, Head of Asian Network:
“I’m really delighted to be uniting the whole of Asian Network in Birmingham and to be delivering on our promise to increase investment and support talent across the UK. Birmingham is such a diverse and creative city and an important location for our listeners. We are proud to be bringing more representation to The Midlands, championing British Asian music and culture and continuing to work and support local companies. Most of all I’m excited to bring the Asian Network family together!”
Asian Network Breakfast with Nikita Kanda, The New Music Show, Pritt, Nadia Ali and Bobby Friction will join the wide variety of shows and DJs already broadcasting from the Mailbox, Birmingham. Asian Network currently broadcasts 73% of its programme from Birmingham with plans to consolidate the entire network to the city by April 2025. These moves are part of a strategy to move shows, talent, teams, and content away from London to allow the corporation to ‘better reflect, represent and serve all audiences.’
The New Music Show with DJ Limelight and Kan D Man (Wednesday’s 8pm-10pm) will broadcast from Birmingham from Wednesday 9 April, with DJ Limelight continuing as host, followed by Pritt (Sunday, 7pm-9pm) and Nadia Ali (Sunday, 3pm-5pm) broadcasting from Birmingham from Sunday 13 April.
Asian Network Breakfast with Nikita Kanda will be the final show to move to the city, broadcasting live from Birmingham from 28th April.
Nikita Kanda:
“I’m so excited to be broadcasting Asian Network Breakfast from Birmingham! I absolutely love the city! I’ve spent a lot of my time there over the years so it already feels like home to me. I can’t wait to join my Asian Network family in the Mailbox. Birmingham, get ready for some Kanda Kaos!”
In addition to moving its remaining shows to Birmingham, Asian Network has announced a new schedule starting from Monday April 7th.
As part of the changes, Bobby Friction will leave his current weekday show to front a brand-new specialist music show, bringing specialist music, entertainment and exclusive soundtracks to audiences across the UK. Bobby’s new show will broadcast every Sunday from 9pm-11pm, starting on Sunday 13 April, replacing Vallisa’s current Sunday show which will end in March.
In place of Bobby’s current show, three new weekday programmes will launch on the network, bringing listeners the biggest anthems and nostalgic hits from 6pm-8pm, every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, presented by Asian Network’s Vallisa, Nadia Ali and Kan D Man respectively.
Other changes taking place from 7th April include The Everyday Hustle (Monday, 6am-6.30am) beginning a new rotation of presenters, to be announced soon, with Harpreet Kaur hosting her final show on Monday 31 March. Amber Sandhu will leave Asian Network with co-host of One More Chai, Gura Randhawa, taking over Saturday afternoon’s 3pm-6pm, hosting her first live show on the network. Asian Network Chill will also come to an end in March.
Ahmed Hussain, Head of Asian Network:
“Finally, I’d like to say a massive thank you to Amber for the energy and fun she has brought to the airwaves over the past two years, I wish her all the best with her new ventures.”
The BBC’s Across the UK strategy sets out plans for moving content, power and decision-making across the country to better reflect and represent all parts of the UK and serve all audiences.
