The BBC are set to provide more radio programming for 12 to 16 year olds, under the name of BBC Switch. The new programmes will include five hours each Sunday on BBC Radio 1, hosted by Annie Mac (7-10pm) and Kelly Osbourne (10pm – midnight).
Switch With Annie Mac will feature specialist music, gossip, and behind-the-scenes news and live tracks. There will be a focus on the big online stories of the week from across the social networking world, featuring hot new tracks, bloggers, vloggers and websites.
New Radio 1 presenter Kelly Osbourne will take over as host of The Surgery – a live phone-in advice show. Each week, Kelly will be joined in the studio by an expert and Radio 1's regular medical expert, Dr Mark Hamilton, will also be on call.
Annie will also host a new television show along with new recruit Nick Grimshaw. The on-location show will focus on new music with live performances and interviews across a variety of genres. BBC Switch will partner with the first Radio 1 under-18s event to be held at Wembley Arena in November. It will be hosted by Radio 1 DJs and feature UK and international artists.
Andy Parfitt, Controller, Radio 1, 1Xtra and BBC Switch, said: "This is a big step in delivering the vision that was set out in Creative Futures. The BBC connects with young children in a very significant way, but when they reach their secondary school years this relationship is not as strong.
"Our aim is to make distinctive and powerful content 12 to 16 year olds can embrace and, through our work with BBC Vision, Radio 1 and online, I feel we are achieving that. We've worked hard to really get to know this audience and the insights we have collected are at the heart of everything we will do.