2026 in British radio

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by editing the page to add missing items, with references to reliable sources.

This is a list of events taking place in 2026 relating to radio in the United Kingdom.

Events

January

• 1 January –
  • BBC Radio 4 celebrates the 75th anniversary of The Archers with a day of programmes and drama dedicated to the rural soap. ^[1] It includes a re-enactment of the opening scene of the first episode broadcast on 1 January 1950, the original episode having been lost. ^[2]
  • Radio X listeners have voted the Wolf Alice single "The Sofa" as their Record of the Year for 2025 in the station's annual poll of music for the year. ^[3]
• 2 January – Tiffany Calver presents her final edition of BBC Radio 1Xtra's The Rap Show after seven years as its host. ^[4]
• 6 January –
  • Launch of STV Radio, with Ewen Cameron and Cat Harvey presenting the weekday breakfast show. ^{[5] [6] [7]}
  • Bauer Media adds local news, weather and travel to Hits Radio UK in Scotland. ^[8]
• 12 January – Comedian Josh James joins Fix Radio as drivetime presenter. Previous hosts Rich and Trev move to Saturdays as part of changes to the weekend schedule. ^[9]
• 17 January – Daryl Robinson joins Fix Radio to present a Saturday morning programme. ^[10]

Station debuts

Terrestrial

• 6 January – STV Radio

Programme debuts

• 1 January – Tony Blackburn's Sounds of Soul on BBC Radio 2. ^[11]

Continuing radio programmes

These programmes are still running as of 2026. They are listed by the year they were first broadcast.

1940s

• Desert Island Discs (started 1942)
• Woman's Hour (started 1946)
• A Book at Bedtime (started 1949)

1950s

• The Archers (started 1950)
• Pick of the Pops (started 1955)
• The Today Programme (started 1957)

1960s

• Farming Today (started 1960)
• In Touch (started 1961)
• The World at One (started 1965)
• The Official Chart (started 1967)
• Just a Minute (started 1967)
• The Living World (started 1968)

1970s

• PM (started 1970)
• Start the Week (started 1970)
• You and Yours (started 1970)
• I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue (started 1972)
• Newsbeat (started 1973)
• File on 4 (started 1977)
• Money Box (started 1977)
• The News Quiz (started 1977)
• Feedback (started 1979)
• The Food Programme (started 1979)
• Science in Action (started 1979)

1980s

• In Business (started 1983)
• Sounds of the 60s (started 1983)
• Loose Ends (started 1986)

1990s

• The Moral Maze (started 1990)
• Essential Selection (started 1991)
• Night Waves (started 1992)
• Essential Mix (started 1993)
• Up All Night (started 1994)
• Wake Up to Money (started 1994)
• Private Passions (started 1995)
• In Our Time (started 1998)
• PopMaster (started 1998)
• The Now Show (started 1998)

2000s

• BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards (started 2000)
• Sounds of the 70s (2000–2008, resumed 2009)
• Dead Ringers (2000–2007, resumed 2014)
• A Kist o Wurds (started 2002)
• Fighting Talk (started 2003)
• Jeremy Vine (started 2003)
• The Chris Moyles Show (2004–2012, resumed 2015)
• Elaine Paige on Sunday (started 2004)
• The Bottom Line (started 2006)
• The Unbelievable Truth (started 2006)
• Radcliffe & Maconie (started 2007)
• The Media Show (started 2008)
• Newsjack (started 2009)

2010s

• The Third Degree (started 2011)
• BBC Radio 1's Dance Anthems (started 2012)
• Sounds of the 80s (started 2013)
• Question Time Extra Time (started 2013)
• The Show What You Wrote (started 2013)
• Inside Science (started 2013)
• Friday Sports Panel (started 2014)
• Stumped (started 2015)
• You, Me and the Big C (started 2018)
• Radio 1's Party Anthems (started 2019)

2020s

• Frank Skinner's Poetry Podcast (started 2020)
• Newscast (started 2020)
• Sounds of the 90s (started 2020)
• Life Changes (started 2021)
• Romesh Ranganathan: For The Love of Hip Hop (started 2021)
• The News Agents (started 2022)
• Ten to the Top (started 2023)
• Love Songs with Michael Ball (started 2024)
• Radio 2's The Week-est Link (started 2024)

Deaths

• 2 January – Jenny Collins, 83, broadcaster and producer (BBC Radio Merseyside). ^[12] (death announced on this date)

See also

• 2026 in the United Kingdom
• 2026 in British music
• 2026 in British television
• List of British films of 2026

References

1. Martin, Roy (1 January 2026). "The Archers turns 75 with Radio 4 celebrations". Radio Today. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
2. McIntosh, Steven (1 January 2026). "The Archers: Radio 4 drama's cast recreate first episode for 75th anniversary". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
3. "Wolf Alice named Radio X record winner". Radio Today. 1 January 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
4. Gillibrand, Peter (2 January 2026). "Radio 1Xtra's first female Rap Show host leaves the station". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
5. Jackson, Lucy (23 December 2025). "'We are angry': STV staff to go on strike in New Year over cuts and job losses". The National . Retrieved 31 December 2025.
6. Martin, Roy (18 December 2025). "STV Radio confirms January launch and schedule". Radio Today. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
7. Martin, Roy (6 January 2026). "STV promised a radio miracle in Scotland.. and delivered". Radio Today. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
8. Martin, Roy (6 January 2026). "Bauer adds local news to Hits Radio UK in Scotland". Radio Today. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
9. Martin, Roy (17 December 2025). "Fix Radio appoints Josh James for drive show". Radio Today. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
10. Martin, Roy (4 December 2025). "Fix Radio adds Daryl Robinson as Saturday morning host". Radio Today. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
11. Collins, Steve (27 November 2025). "Tony Blackburn launches new weekly soul show on BBC Sounds". Radio Today. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
12. Bird, Daniel; Mutch, James (2 January 2026). "BBC Radio Merseyside founding member dies as tributes paid". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 5 January 2026.