Capital FM ends 3-month One Direction ban

Global Radio’s Capital FM has played a song by the boyband One Direction for the first time in three months.

Radio Today understands the group’s hit What Makes You Beautiful aired on the hit music network at around 7.45pm tonight during James Barr’s evening show.

Global put an unofficial ban on tracks by One Direction being played on their stations after the group thanked Capital FM’s rival Radio 1 on stage at the BRIT Awards. They’d just picked up the Best British Single prize for What Makes You Beautiful, an award that had been voted for by listeners of Capital FM who were sponsors of the category.

We told you last month how the “ban” was still in place, with teams at Capital FM told not to put articles about One Direction on the station’s website or refer to their chart success in America during links or news bulletins.

At the time a spokeswoman for Global told RadioToday.co.uk that the group did not comment on playlist decisions.

On Tuesday night presenter James Barr trailed that One Direction were ‘coming up next’, immediately sparking 1D fans to take to Twitter to question whether it was a mistake. ‘Dougie Poynter’ tweeted “The man in capital just said ‘we’re gonna play one direction’ maybe they’re over it finally haha”

Once the track was on air, several others also tweeted – here are a selection:

@EmilyyyyC: Not heard One Direction on Capital for agesssss… And it’s randomly being played now? Woooooo

@xLaura16x: Got in the car with my friend and One Direction WMYB was playing on capital we both started fangirling like crazy!! 1st time since the brits

@HugMeHarreh: So did Capital finally realise One Direction are too good not to play? They are on now!!

@emilylawsonx1D: OMG capital is playing one direction!! :O 😀 first time in ages!! 😀

@Meganvials_ox: One direction on capital, really? you’re ruining my evening

@HugMeLouisT: I see Capital FM finally got their head out their arses and played One Direction for the first time in ages!