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Radio 1’s, Greg James announced the third and final lineup of acts this morning and it’s filled with wonderful additions to finalise an already incredible weekend. James shared with listeners that Dean would also be joined by a variety of other established artists, including Niall Horan, Myles Smith, CMAT, Kehlani and Dermot Kennedy.

Dean has simply taken the world by storm in this past year, even taking home a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in February of 2026. Not only has she solidified herself as a star through her Grammy win, the ‘Man I Need’ singer also took home four awards at the BRITS including Best New Artist.

Joining the bill days before Dean’s set are DJ’s Fatboy Slim and Sonny Foreda making for an action packed dance music celebration. Following on from this, the Saturday lineup is set to see incredible performances from Zara Larsson, Louis Tomlinson and Lola Young. The weekend is set to be an action-packed music venture.

Also featured on the Sunday bill are acts in the likes of Jorja smith, Maisie Peters, Charlie Hedges, Holly Humberstone, Maia Beth and countless other up and coming names.

One Direction fans are bubbling with excitement as two former members take the stage over the weekend. Both Tomlinson and Horan are set to have new music releasing this year, fans may potentially be lucky enough to hear some brand new material.

Saturday’s attendees are in for a treat; blonde bombshell, Larsson has experienced a renaissance of sorts with her latest album ‘Midnight Sun.’ Her music is everywhere, taking over social media platforms, Olympic skaters dancing to her tracks and TikTok dance trends in her name. It is safe to say the Swedish singer songwriter has come back around with a newfound hunger for stardom, and we cannot wait to see her dominate the Sunderland stage.

One of Britains biggest music events, the festival spans from May 22 – 24, set to feature three exciting stages, Main Stage, New Music Stage and BBC Introducing Stage.

Sunderland last hosted Radio 1’s Big Weekend way back in 2005 in which the event saw performances from Gwen Stefani, Foo Fighters and the Black Eyed Peas.Thousands of fans are set to attend the three-day event, making for a gorgeous weekend to remember featuring over 100 acts.

Tickets for the first day went on sale last week and Saturday and Sunday tickets are set to go on sale from 17:00 GMT Wednesday 11 March, Sunderland’s local residents are set to get priority.

General sale day tickets cost £44.50 per day whilst VIP tickets cost £106.00.

Praise for its ability to host in towns that do not often see music events, Radio 1’s Big Weekend provides attendees with a joyous weekend close to their hometown.

Grab your tickets now!

BBC Radio 1 have organised the touring festival since 2003, visiting a different city each year to put on a weekend of live music and other entertainment. Now a three-day affair, Big Weekend has expanded to include a Friday of activities, which is now its dedicated “Dance Party”. Generally the chosen cities and locations are diverse, ranging from beachside resorts, open park land or historic castle grounds.

Last year’s Big Weekend at Liverpool’s Sefton Park will be a hard act to follow. As if their three headliners of Tom Grennan, Sam Fender and Mumford & Sons weren’t enough, it made the headlines by way of Ed Sheeran’s secret set. Other massive names present included Wolf Alice, Biffy Clyro, and Lola Young. For 2026 Radio 1 are coming to Sunderland, holding three days at the city’s Herrington Country Park. The site hosted the 2005 edition with a top lineup of Foo Fighters, Chemical Brothers, Kasabian, Natalie Imbruglia and KT Tunstall.

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So far this year’s announcement is for the Friday’s Dance Party, which Radio 1 promise will be their biggest and best yet. In a BBC News article on the reveal, they say “It will be the first time the festival will be using all of its stages to host a ‘huge dance party’ on the first day”. The biggest name on the list is DJ Norman Cook, known by his stage name Fatboy Slim. Owner of a Grammy, 9 MTV Video Awards, two Brit Awards and a coveted Ivor Novello Award, he’s done it all in his career. No stranger to clubs or festivals of the world, he’s had countless radio hits and always carried an incredible reputation for his live mixes.

Cook’s main co-headliner is Sonny Fodera, an Australian house DJ who has worked with the likes of Calvin Harris, Glass Animals and Diplo. Also on the top bracket of the bill are fellow-Aussie producer FISHER and American house DJ MK. The rest of the lineup includes BBC Radio 1’s station DJs Arielle Free, Charlie Hedges, Danny Howard and Sarah Story.

BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend Sunderland runs from Friday the 22nd to Sunday the 24th of May, with tickets for the Friday on sale now. The Saturday’s lineup is due to be announced on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show next Monday, the 9th of March, with the BBC hinting that the final list will feature over 100 acts. Tickets for the Saturday and Sunday go live at 5PM on Wednesday the 11th of March.

This list has been running since 2003, and this year’s candidates have been decided by a panel of over 170 industry experts and artists, including Elton John, Dua Lipa, JADE, Olivia Dean, Yungblud, and former winner Sam Smith.

The artists on the longlist are listed below, with a bit of information about each of them.

Alessi Rose – she released her debut single in 2023 and her career took off from there. In just two years after the release, she has released three EP’s, and toured with artists such as Noah Kahan, Tate McRae, and Dua Lipa.

Chloe Qisha – she came into the UK music scene last year and has gained attention due to her 80s inspired alt-pop sound. In the last year she has supported Sabrina Carpenter and Coldplay in London, as well as played a set at All Points East festival earlier this summer.

Florence Road – in early 2025 they released their first ever single ‘Heavy’ and went on to support major artists in the space of a few months such as Olivia Rodrigo, Wolf Alice, and The Last Dinner Party! who were the winner of Sound Of 2024.

Geese – their music and vocals bring raw emotion and vulnerability to lyrics that on their own don’t necessarily convey this, and it feels like a unique combination.

Jim Legxacy – he has released three EPs and two mixtapes, the latest of which came out earlier this year in summer. He collaborated with Fred again… on his 2024 album, released a song with DAVE, and co-wrote and co-produced Central Cee and DAVE’s hit single ‘Sprinter’ in 2023.

Kwn – she started releasing music in 2022, with her lyrics celebrating queer love and desire. In the last year, she has performed at Wireless Festival and collaborated with Kehlani on a remix of her single ‘Worst Behaviour’.

Royel Otis – they released their debut album in 2024 and have been associated with successful covers. These include one of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’, and The Cranberries’ ‘Linger’. They akso released a successful album ‘Hickey’, with a popular lead single ‘Who’s Your Boyfriend’.

Sasha Keable – she released a viral TikTok song ‘Hold Up’ and has collaborated with artists such as Dev Hynes, Ezra Collective, and Jorja  Smith.

Skye Newman – she started releasing music earlier this year, and in a short space of time, her song ‘Family Matters’ charted in the UK Top 10, and she supported Lewis Capaldi.

Sombr – his debut album ‘I Barely Know Her’ released earlier this year became one of the biggest albums of the year, with hit singles including ‘Back To Friends’, ‘Undressed’, and ’12 to 12′.

The Sound Of… tends to identify major future artists, with previous winners including Adele, The Last Dinner Party, 50 Cent, Ellie Goulding, Years & Years, and HAIM.

In an interview with Eastern Daily Press, a spokesperson for the venue said: “We’re incredibly humbled and privileged to announce that we’ve been shortlisted as Best Venue.

“We want to send love to everyone in the Fine City, without your energy and support we wouldn’t be here.

“Thanks to you, our little club in Norwich has been nominated alongside some of the most legendary venues in the world – Fabric, Amnesia, Drumsheds, Hï Ibiza, Sneaky Petes, Motion, Index & BS Warehouse.”The Dance Community is already stunned to see Norwich on this list. Let’s get voting and stun them again.”

Gonzo’s Two Room has played host to an eclectic range of sounds and performers. Their winter programme featured American garage house innovator Todd Edwards, D’n’B legend DJ Storm, and Rhythm Section’s Bradley Zero. They also showcase their local talent, with resident DJ’s Effy Mai, Tadi, Levi Fruits and Beeches on warm-up duties.

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Talking to the BBC, owner Mike Baxter said: “It [live music] is a hard industry, but for us it was about making something awesome

“To see artists that – by definition – don’t belong in Norwich. You’d see those at shows in London, Manchester and Ibiza. We’ve developed relationships now with artists where we’re getting major artists that we’ve not seen outside of the major cities before who are coming for the crowd.”

It’s not the first time the Norwich nightclub has been recognized for industry awards. In 2023, the venue was a finalist in the ‘Best Club’ category at the DJ Mag’s Best Of British Awards 2023, going up against big names like Phonox in London and Patterns in Brighton.

In a write-up for DJ Mag in 2022, Ben Murphy gave a glowing review of the 200-capacity club: “The venue’s excellent sound, friendly atmosphere and mix-and-match decor — festooned with mirror balls, flock wallpaper and humorous portraits — have made it an essential nightlife hub in a city that in recent years has been underrepresented in dance music terms.

The winners of the BBC Radio 1 Dance Awards will be revealed live on Radio 1 Dance from 18:00 GMT on 21 February.

Also shortlisted for the best venue award are:

• Amnesia, Ibiza
• Drumsheds, London
• Index, Dublin
• Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh
• Blackstone Street Warehouse, Liverpool
• Fabric, London
• Hi Ibiza, Ibiza
• Motion, Bristol
• The Warehouse Project at Depot Mayfield, Manchester

Vote for Gonzo’s Two Room or your best dance venue here!

Tributes have poured in from across the music and broadcasting worlds, with his wife Tiggy posting a poignant message on Twitter: “What does a new widow do on NYE? She listens to BBC Radio 2, opens a bottle and toasts her amazing husband. Courageous, wise, strong, creative and never dull. They didn’t call him the Pirate for nothing. Above all – the most devoted, loving husband. Please raise a glass to Johnnie Walker.”

What does a new widow do on NYE? She listens to @BBCRadio2, opens a bottle and toasts her amazing husband. Courageous, wise, strong, creative and never dull. They didn’t call him the Pirate for nothing. Above all – the most devoted loving husband. Pls raise a to Johnnie Walker pic.twitter.com/B0S30YiDal

— Tiggy Walker (@TiggyWalker) December 31, 2024

Walker’s career began in the golden age of pirate radio. Starting with Swinging England, he became a household name on Radio Caroline. Defying the UK government’s Marine Broadcasting Offences Act in 1967, which outlawed pirate stations, Walker continued broadcasting from international waters before joining the BBC in 1969. At Radio 1, his eclectic taste and refusal to stick to playlists earned him a devoted following, though it also led to disputes with the station’s management. These disagreements prompted a move to America in 1976, where he spent five years broadcasting in California and Maryland.  

Returning to the UK in the early 1980s, Walker worked for various local radio stations before making a triumphant return to the BBC in 1987. His tenure at Radio 2’s Sounds of the 70s programme, which he took over in 2008, solidified his legacy. Over 15 years, Walker transformed the show into a celebration of the era’s music and culture, winning over new generations of listeners. He introduced the ‘Johnnie’s Jukebox’ feature, where Johnnie and listeners would select a single from the 70s to be stored in the imaginary jukebox.

His final broadcast on 27 October 2024 was an emotional farewell. “[It’s] going to be very strange not to be on the wireless anymore. Also, by the same token, life will be slightly less of a strain really, trying to find the breath in order to do the programmes. Thank you for being with me all these years and take good care of yourself and those you love. May we walk into the future with our heads held high and happiness in our hearts. God bless you.”

Bob Harris announcing the death of Johnnie Walker on BBC Radio 2’s Sounds of the 70s this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/5aXBADYKhz — Gareth Joy (@lookoutwales2) December 31, 2024

The announcement of Walker’s passing was made by his successor, Bob Harris, who paid a heartfelt tribute to his friend of over 50 years. “Johnnie was one of the greats, a voice that defined an era and a man who lived and breathed music,” Harris said. Social media has been awash with tributes from fans, coworkers and musicians, with one listener commenting, “He had one of the best voices on radio, and excellent taste in music too. Sleep well, Johnnie, you will be missed.”

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Walker’s influence extended beyond his radio shows. In a 2013 interview with Tony Benn, he reflected on the transformative role of pirate radio: “This was one of the greatest musical explosions in history, and the BBC decided to play only an hour on Saturday morning. But teenagers were desperate to hear it, and, three and a half miles off the Essex coast, pirate radios were doing that. And people loved them.” Walker’s defiance of the establishment and passion for sharing music left an indelible mark on British culture.

So sorry to hear the news about the great Johnnie Walker. Not only was he a wonderful broadcaster but also a man of great personal strength and kindness.

— Ken Bruce (@RealKenBruce) December 31, 2024

Diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, Walker spent his final months at home with Tiggy, his wife and carer, who had supported him tirelessly. Known for his warmth, Walker was a pioneer whose voice will echo through the history of British broadcasting.

As Tiggy poignantly wrote, “They didn’t call him the Pirate for nothing.” Johnnie Walker’s legacy as a champion of music and a beloved broadcaster will endure. Raise a glass to the man who brought the spirit of the airwaves to life.

Both on the Glastonbury Festival website and the @glastofest Instagram representatives have stated that ‘Annie Nightingale loved Glastonbury Festival. Her BBC Radio 1 show was broadcast from the Festival on Thursday nights through the 2000s from Silver Hayes and The Glade.’ the post goes onto say that Annie’s last set at the infamous event took place on the The Glade Main Stage and therefore her commemoration will kick off in that very place on the second day of the festival, Thursday the 27th of June. The celebration will then continue on the BBC Introducing Stage for what the festival are describing as ‘the after-dark part two’.

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The Nextmen Ft Kiko Bun and Fish56Octagon will launch the Daytime event showcasing some of Annie’s most beloved dance beats. Attendees will then hear from the likes of Krafty Kuts plus members of the Freestylers. The set will close with a feature from The Orb, who Annie both loved and who she, as the festival noted, ‘championed in the early ’90s, bringing their music to the world’.

As nightfall approaches, the event will be moved to the BBC Introducing Stage where ‘DJs will be covering the music Annie brought to the world from the ‘90s through to the present day through her show’. Fans will have a chance to hear Jon Carter play sounds ‘that kicked off some of the UK’s biggest dance acts’ careers’ as well as a second feature from Krafty Kuts and Plump DJs. To end the night DJ, Martha, will be playing some of the hottest and trendiest tracks. Martha was mentored by Annie and will carry on her ‘legacy discovering new music and giving artists a window to the world’. Glastonbury are working in collaboration with the BBC to mark the presenter’s life.

This year’s festival boasts an array of dazzling acts including Dua Lipa who has recently released her new album ‘Radical Optimism’ as well as Coldplaywho just played the Radio 1 Big weekend and of course SZA who will all headline the Pyramid Stage. Shania Twain will take on the Legend’s Slot on Sunday and we will see acts like LCD Soundsystem, Burna Boy, PJ Harvey, and more on the main stage. You can check out the full line up below.

Unfortunately, tickets for this years Glastonbury are sold out and if you’re thinking about getting your hand on resale tickets, the festival are urging fans to be cautious to avoid scams and reminding those who are looking for tickets that only those from ‘SEE TICKETS’ will allow access into the festival. You can take a look at all the information regarding tickets on the Glastonbury website by following the link here.

The excitement began only a few months ago when Radio 1 announced that their annual Big Weekend would be taking place at Stockwood Park in Luton. Since then, they have announced numerous huge names, leading to tickets selling like hotcakes. Unfortunately, all tickets are now sold out, however if you are a keen listener to BBC Radio 1 then you might find yourself approached with the chance to win tickets their competitions, or alternatively, you can look for resale tickets on Ticketmaster.

The highly anticipated festival is taking place May 24th-26th, and is set to be one of the biggest festivals this year, with some of the biggest names in the music industry appearing. The headliners are as follow: Chase and Status on Friday, Raye on Saturday, and Coldplay and Vampire Weekend on Sunday. Appearing alongside these names are other incredibly talented artists such as Olly Alexander, the UK’s Eurovision contestant this year, The Last Dinner Party, who have performed huge slots at Coachella this year already, and, arguably the most famous dance pop singer at the moment, Becky Hill.

Attendees of Radio 1’s Big Weekend are no strangers to the huge performances, as in previous years there have been sets from: The 1975, Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran and Billie Eilish. This makes this year’s line-up no different from the rest, especially as the majority of tickets sold out in days. However, this does not beat 2022, when Saturday tickets sold out within an hour.

Nonetheless it is shaping up to be an extremely exciting weekend, and not just for those attending. If you didn’t manage to grab tickets in time, then don’t worry! BBC iPlayer will have all of the weekend’s events, completely free and available for you to watch as the weekend unfolds, additionally, BBC Radio 1 will be discussing events, gossip and performances live with your favourite presenters or, if you’re busy across the whole weekend, you can watch the festival on demand.

Following huge success with her two previous EP’s: ‘Patched Up’ and ‘Loveworm’, alongside her two previous albums, ‘Fake It Flowers’ and ‘Beatopia’, the Filipino-English singer has finally posted about her new album that she has been teasing for months.

Recently, she released a single ‘Take A Bite’, which will feature on her upcoming album. Along with the single, she offered fans access to an online music video premiere, where they could immediately watch the music video as it was released. The music video has already grossed 487k views in four days, suggesting the new album will be a huge hit with her fans. Additionally, it was featured on BBC Radio 1’s hottest record, stirring up even more excitement.

The new album comes just in time for Beabadoobee’s summer performances at Radio 1’s Big Weekend, All Points East, and Reading and Leeds festival this year, which you can find tickets for here. Fans are quickly becoming increasingly excited for these shows, as there will be new music and she will be found performing along with huge names such as: Mitski, Lana Del Rey and Coldplay.

Excited fans are being offered a range of bundles on her website, in order to celebrate the new album. There are a range of options from cassette, vinyl and CD bundles, which include signed merchandise and an album tee.

Her previous album ‘Beatopia’, released in 2022, saw huge success for the indie singer-songwriter, reaching #4 album in the UK Official Album Chart and #1 in the UK Official Vinyl Albums Chart. Since this album, she has released many singles including ‘Glue Song’, that reached the UK top 40, ‘the way things go’, and ‘A Night To Remember’ with Laufey, an Icelandic, jazz-inspired sensation.

On social media, Beabadoobee has claimed that the new album is her “most personal record”, with many indie singers such as Conan Gray, Clairo and Gracie Abrams showing their excitement in the comments.

Clearly, this will be an extremely exciting year for both Beabadoobee and fans, and to get in on the excitementm you can pre-order her new album here.

Though the Burnley native had not initially announced or commented on his departure, he took to Instagram yesterday to break the silence and thank his colleagues, fellow presenters and listeners throughout the years. He said: “I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank all my wonderful colleagues / talented producers at Radio 1 who many I consider to be friends for life and will miss greatly, you’ve all reached out to me over the past 24 hours and it really has meant a lot.”

He added: “To my amazing fellow presenters I wish I could thank you all personally, I’ve loved working with you it’s been an absolute blast! Big love to Katie Thisleton, Greg James, Arielle Free, Ricky, Melvin & Charlie, Dean & Vicky, Clara Amfo, Matt & Molly, Scott Mills, Grimmy, all the rest of you fantastic lot, and of course my partner in crime Vick Hope…I’ll miss being on air with you every day. MOST IMPORTANTLY the biggest of thank yous to the fantastic listeners who have been really generous and always made me feel welcome, your kind words & messages have been so lovely, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I’ll be back soon, and can’t wait to see you all again.”

The announcement marks a new era for the station, with Laing as the distinctive new voice of the primetime spot. The presenter rose to fame in the early 2010s during the height of the hit reality TV show Made in Chelsea. Laing has since founded multiple successful businesses such as Candy Kittens and JamPot Productions, as well as the incredibly popular comedy podcast ‘Newlyweds‘ who he hosts alongside his wife Sophie.

Having previously worked at the station during Mollie King’s maternity leave, Laing has referred to working at BBC Radio 1 and the new opportunity as “an absolute dream”, and promises to make it “the best show I possibly can for the listeners who love it so much.” Laing is expected to make his debut on the show alongside Vick Hope on Monday March 4. You can listen to the show from 15:30 – 18:00 every Monday to Thursday.

Abigail Morris (lead vocalist), Georgia Davies (bass), and Lizzie Mayland (rhythm guitar) met in 2020 when they were enrolled at King’s College London together. The trio went on to form the band, originally called ‘The Dinner Party’, with Emily Roberts (lead guitar) and Aurora Nishevci (keys) from Guildhall School of Music & Drama joining them soon after. Crowned as the winners of this year’s BRITs Rising Star Award and the prestigious BBC Sound Of…2024 poll, The Last Dinner Party have had a whirlwind couple of months, securing their first-ever Official Singles Chart Top 40 entry just last week with the album’s lead single ‘Nothing Matters‘ charting at 22. ‘Prelude to Ecstasy‘ is expected to take the title, with BBC Radio 1’s Jack Saunders counting down to the top spot this Friday between 16:00 and 17:45PM GMT as part of the Official Chart Show.

The fearless five-piece have been highly active on social media this week, spreading the album far and wide and expressing their gratitude for the incredible reception it has received, commenting: “Sharing this magical week with each and every one of you up and down the country has been SO special. Our heartfelt gratitude to you all knows no bounds. Without one single doubt, you are our crème de la crème.”

We are delighted to say that our autumn adventures will be taken to even dizzier heights of frenzy and experimental trousers with new tour dates in Belfast, Dublin and London. Tickets on sale 8am tomorrow ❤️ https://t.co/OfK1Tll22x pic.twitter.com/wNVEcvwW31

— The Last Dinner Party (@lastdinnerparty) February 8, 2024

After building a word-of-mouth fanbase on the UK gig circuit over the past few years, The Last Dinner Party have now confirmed the dates for their upcoming European and North American Tour, as well as their first major UK/Ireland Tour this September and October. Presale tickets are currently available to purchase here for fans who have been granted a presale access code, with the General Sale commencing this Friday, February 9, from 8AM GMT. The tour will conclude in the group’s hometown at the iconic Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith, London, on October 16.

Tearing ahead for their first potential UK Number 1, this is a band not at all flustered by a potential sell-by date, having already secured career-defining performances at this year’s Reading and Leeds and TRNSMT Festival, and even across the pond for Coachella. Serving up a fruitful debut, ‘Prelude to Ecstasy‘ is out now.

The Last Dinner Party 2024 UK/Ireland Tour

September

23/09/2024 – O2 City Hall – Newcastle
24/09 – O2 Academy – Leeds
25/09 – Octagon Centre – Sheffield
27/09 – The LCR, UEA – Norwich
28/09 – The Engine Shed – Lincoln
29/09 – Tramshed – Cardiff

October

18/09 – Belfast –  The Telegraph Building
01/10 – O2 Academy –Birmingham
02/10 – Rock City – Nottingham
04/10 – O2 Academy – Bristol
05/10 – O2 Guildhall – Southampton
07/10 – 3Olympia – Dublin
08/10 – 3Olympia – Dublin
10/10 – O2 Academy – Glasgow
11/10 – O2 Victoria Warehouse – Manchester
12/10 – Mountford Hall – Liverpool
14/10 – Corn Exchange – Cambridge
16/10 – Eventim Apollo – London
17/10 – Eventim Apollo – London