Gareth Roberts named BBC WM Editor

Former Capital Radio Head of News Gareth Roberts is the new man in charge of the BBC’s local radio service for the West Midlands.

He joins from BBC English Regions where he’s been running the big stories, events and campaigns across regional television and local radio for the last year.

It’s a return to the Midlands for Gareth, who started out in radio in his home-town of Worcester in 1990 and has also been Programme Director of Century 106 in Nottingham.

Gareth was Head of News at Capital Radio in 1997 and after a spell at Century in the East Midlands went on to be Executive Producer of the Johnny Vaughan breakfast show on Capital FM in London. He left Global Radio in 2008 to become the Assistant Editor at BBC London 94.9.

Gareth – who takes over from Keith Beech – told RadioToday.co.uk: “BBC WM is a fantastic station with a great team and incredible heritage. Coming from the Midlands originally, I’ve listened for a long time and it has always reflected the passion, pride and concerns of the area, it really is the voice of Birmingham and the Black Country, I can’t wait to get started.”