Owain Wyn Evans has been announced as the new Early Breakfast show host at BBC Radio 2, replacing Vanessa Feltz.
The BBC News theme tune drumming star will host the show from the BBC Cymru Wales broadcast centre in Cardiff from January 2023.
This is the first Radio 2 weekday programme to move out of London and the tender opens today for production companies to pitch for the show.
Owain says: “When I asked my parents for a pair of turntables and a mixing desk from a DJ shop in Llanelli when I was 13 I never allowed myself to dream that one day I’d have my own show on Radio 2!
“I can’t wait to help kick start the day on Early Breakfast live from Cardiff. Bore da dahlings as we say in Wales!”
💥 SOME NEWS 💥
I’m joining BBC Radio 2! From January I’ll be presenting the new Early Breakfast Show live from gorgeous Cardiff, making it the first daily Radio 2 show to be broadcast from Wales 🏴 I can’t wait to get started 🧡 @BBCRadio2 pic.twitter.com/08ZLuHDDBv— Owain Wyn Evans (@OwainWynEvans) October 4, 2022
Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2, says: “I’d like to welcome Owain to the Radio 2 family. His deep connection with Wales is obvious and I’m delighted he will be broadcasting live from Cardiff every weekday morning. His warmth and wit make him the perfect host to set up the day for our listeners right across the country, who have clearly and warmly taken him to their hearts each time he has presented in this slot.”
Owain has worked as a television and radio presenter for over 20 years, and began his broadcasting career at the age of 18 as a children’s news presenter at BBC Wales, before moving on to become a weather presenter for BBC Look North (Yorkshire), BBC North West Tonight and BBC Breakfast.
Having spent time at Radio Cymru, he went on to present radio shows for a number of BBC Local Radio stations including Radio York, Radio Leeds and Radio Manchester. In December 2020 Evans hosted a number of ‘in conversation with’ shows for BBC Sounds in which he interviewed stars including Little Mix, Kylie Minogue and Dolly Parton.
A keen drummer since the age of seven, Owain shot to international fame when, during lockdown in 2020, he produced a video of himself drumming to the BBC News theme tune, which was viewed tens of millions of times around the globe. This was the springboard for his record-breaking 24-hour Drumathon for Children In Need, which raised over £3.8m, making it the most successful 24-hour challenge in the 41-year history of BBC Children In Need.
Rhuanedd Richards, Director of BBC Cymru Wales says: “I’m delighted that Radio 2 listeners will be starting their weekdays in Owain’s company – live every weekday from BBC Wales’ home in Cardiff’s Central Square. Having started his career as a presenter here in Wales, it’s wonderful news that he’ll be taking to the airwaves from Cardiff and waking listeners across the UK. Croeso Owain!”
Owain takes over from Vanessa Feltz, who stepped down from presenting the Early Morning Breakfast show in July this year.
The start date for Scott Mills has also been announced, with OJ Borg filling in during October following Steve Wright’s departure from weekday afternoons.
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Posted on Tuesday, October 4th, 2022 at 1:16 pm by RadioToday Staff