New breakfast presenter for BBC Wiltshire

Ben Prater will take over the breakfast show on a single BBC Wiltshire from November 5th, replacing both Matthew Smith and Graham Mack.

Ben currently hosts Drive on BBC Radio Bristol and has previously worked at BBC Radio Sheffield. He trained as a journalist and was a BBC reporter before he started presenting programmes in 2002.

Matthew Smith, who currently hosts the breakfast show on BBC Wiltshire, and Graham Mack in Swindon, will both be replaced with the new single show.

Ben said: “Opportunities like this are rare and to be offered the chance to present a show like this in the part of the world I know and love is a dream come true. I can’t wait to throw myself into it and get out across this beautiful county.”

Managing Editor of BBC Wiltshire, Tony Worgan said: “Ben is one of the best presenters in local radio. He will be a huge asset to the station and will bring his years of expertise in radio to an all-new show that will be a must-listen for anyone who lives in Wiltshire and cares about the county. Ben was born and grew up in the West Country, and we think BBC Wiltshire listeners will love him as a presenter of the new Breakfast show.”

Since 2000, a split breakfast show has been broadcast to Swindon, but under the BBC’s Delivering Quality First proposals it was announced that split Breakfast programmes in BBC English Regions in Devon, Cambridge, Wiltshire and Three Counties would cease.