BBC Radio 1: Difference between revisions

| city = [[London]] and [[Salford]]

| area = United Kingdom{{efn|Also available internationally via [[BBC Sounds]].}}

| former_frequencies = {{ubl|FM: {{frequency|104.8|MHz}} {{small|(London)}}|{{frequency|96.0|MHz}} {{small|(Belfast)}}|{{hlist|[[AM band|AM]]: {{frequency|1053|kHz}}|{{frequency|1089|kHz}}}}|{{frequency|1214|kHz}}}}

| sister_stations = [[BBC Radio 1Xtra]]<br />[[BBC Radio 1 Anthems]]<br />[[BBC Radio 1 Dance]]

| website = [https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_one BBC Radio 1] via [[BBC Sounds]]

'''BBC Radio 1''' is a British national radio station owned and operated by the [[BBC]]. It specialises in modern [[popular music]] and [[Contemporary hit radio|current chart hits]] throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including [[electronica]], dance, [[Hip hop music|hip hop]] and [[Independent music|indie]], while its sister station [[BBC Radio 1Xtra|1Xtra]] plays [[Black music|Black contemporary music]], including hip hop and [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]]. Radio 1 also runs two online streams, [[BBC Radio 1 Dance|Radio 1 Dance]], dedicated to dance music, and [[BBC Radio 1 Anthems|Radio 1 Anthems]], dedicated to throwback music; both are available to listen only on [[BBC Sounds]].

Radio 1 broadcasts throughout the UK on [[FM band|FM]] between {{frequency|97.1|MHz}} and {{frequency|99.7|MHz}}, [[Digital radio in the United Kingdom|digital radio]], [[Digital television in the United Kingdom|digital TV]] and BBC Sounds. It was launched in 1967 to meet the demand for music generated by [[pirate radio]] stations, when the average age of the UK population was 27.<ref>[http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/index.html "Annual Population Survey"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131210042804/http://ons.gov.uk/ons/index.html|date=10 December 2013}}. Office for National Statistics, 1967.</ref> The BBC claims that it targets the 15–29 age group,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/regulatory_framework/service_licences/radio/radio_servicelicences/radio1_servicelicence_30apr2007.pdf |title=Radio 1 Service Licence (Issued 30 April 2007) |publisher=[[BBC Trust]] |date=30 April 2007 |access-date=2 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080227084103/http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/regulatory_framework/service_licences/radio/radio_servicelicences/radio1_servicelicence_30apr2007.pdf |archive-date=27 February 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> and the average age of its UK audience since 2009 is 30.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/our_work/music_radio/performance_analysis.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/our_work/music_radio/performance_analysis.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=live|title=Music radio performance analysis|date=March 2015}}</ref> BBC Radio 1 started 24-hour broadcasting on 1 May 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio1/history_of_radio_1_details.htm|title=Radio Rewind – BBC Radio 1 History – Main Events|publisher=Radio Rewind}}</ref>

According to [[RAJAR]], the station broadcasts to a weekly audience of 7.39 million with a listening share of 4.8% as of May 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=RAJAR DATA RELEASE Q1 25 May 15th 2025 |url=https://www.rajar.co.uk/docs/2025_03/All%20Comparative%20Charts%20-%20Q1%202025.pdf |website=www.rajar.co.uk}}</ref>

{{further|Timeline of BBC Radio 1}}

Radio 1 was established in 1967 (along with the more [[Middle of the road (music)|middle-of-the-road]] [[BBC Radio 2]]) as a successor to the [[BBC Light Programme]], which had broadcast popular music and other entertainment since 1945. Radio 1 was conceived as a direct response to the popularity of offshore [[Pirate radio in the United Kingdom|pirate radio]] stations such as [[Radio Caroline]] and [[Wonderful Radio London|Radio London]], which had been declared illegal by [[Marine, &c., Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967|Act of Parliament]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The Unofficial History of BBC Radio 1 & 2 |url=https://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio1/index.html |publisher=Radio Rewind |access-date=20 May 2014}}</ref> Radio 1's initial [[Radio format|format]] was influenced in particular by Radio London's American-style [[Contemporary hit radio|Top 40]] format, in which music was divided into categories played in strict rotation. The new service was initially promoted in the summer of 1967 by trails (voiced by [[Kenny Everett]]) which referred to it as "Radio 247",<ref>{{cite web |title=Radio Rewind - BBC Radio 1 History - Main Events |url=https://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio1/history_of_radio_1_details.htm  |publisher=Radio Rewind |access-date=30 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Radio Rewind - BBC Radio 1 Shows -Trails |url=https://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio1/rewind_radio_1_trails.htm |access-date=30 August 2022 |publisher=Radio Rewind}}</ref> the station's temporary working title.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hendy |first=David |title=The BBC: A People's History |publisher=Profile Books |year=2022 |isbn=9781781255254 |location=UK |pages=437}}</ref>

Broadcasts were on {{frequency|1214|kHz}} [[AM band|AM]] (247 metres), using a network of transmitters which had carried the Light Programme.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ygoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA43|title=The British Radio Scene: a Special Report|last=Scott|first=Robin|date=8 June 1968|magazine=Billboard|access-date=2 October 2017|page=43|author-link=Robin Scott (BBC controller)}}</ref> Most were of comparatively low power, at less than 50 kilowatts, and this resulted in the station only having patchy coverage.{{Citation needed|date=April 2024}}

The first music to be heard on the station was an extract from "Beefeaters" by [[Johnny Dankworth]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Savage |first=Mark |title=50 facts about Radio 1 & 2 as they turn 50 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-41414837 |publisher=BBC News |date=30 September 2017 |access-date=22 October 2018}}</ref> "[[Theme One]]", specially composed for the launch by [[George Martin]] was played for the first time before Radio 1 officially launched at 7&nbsp;am. The first complete record played on Radio 1 was "[[Flowers in the Rain]]" by [[The Move]], the number 2 record in that week's Top 20 (the number 1 record, [[The Last Waltz (song)|The Last Waltz]] by [[Engelbert Humperdinck (singer)|Engelbert Humperdinck]], would have been inappropriate for the station's sound). The second single was "[[Massachusetts (Bee Gees song)|Massachusetts]]" by the [[Bee Gees]]. The breakfast show remains the most prized slot in the Radio 1 schedule, with every change of breakfast show presenter generating considerable media interest.<ref>{{cite web |title=History – Launch day 1967 |url=https://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio1/radio_1_launch_day.htm |publisher=Radio Rewind |date=30 September 1967 |access-date=20 May 2014}}</ref>

The initial rota of staff included [[John Peel]], [[Pete Myers (radio broadcaster)|Pete Myers]], and a gaggle of others, some transferred from pirate stations, such as [[Keith Skues]], [[Ed Stewart]], [[Mike Raven]], [[David Ryder (radio presenter)|David Ryder]], [[Jim Fisher (DJ)|Jim Fisher]], [[Jimmy Young (broadcaster)|Jimmy Young]], [[Dave Cash (DJ)|Dave Cash]], Kenny Everett, [[Simon Dee]], [[Terry Wogan]], [[Duncan Johnson (DJ)|Duncan Johnson]], Doug Crawford, [[Tommy Vance]], [[Chris Denning]], and [[Emperor Rosko]]. Many of the most popular pirate radio voices, such as Simon Dee, had only a one-hour slot per week ("Midday Spin").<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio1/original_presenter_list.htm|title=BBC Radio 1 History – Original Presenters|publisher=Radio Rewind|date=4 September 1967|access-date=20 May 2014}}</ref>

Initially, the station was unpopular with some of its target audience who, it is claimed, disliked that much of its airtime was shared with [[BBC Radio 2|Radio 2]] and that it was less unequivocally aimed at a young audience than the offshore stations, with DJs such as [[Jimmy Young (broadcaster)|Jimmy Young]] being in their 40s. The fact that it was part of an "establishment" institution such as the BBC turned off some, and [[needle time]] restrictions let it play fewer many than the offshore stations. It had limited finances and often, as in January 1975, suffered disproportionately when the BBC made financial cutbacks, strengthening an impression that it was a lower priority for BBC executives.

Despite this, it gained massive audiences, becoming the most listened-to station in the world, with audiences of more than 10 million claimed for some shows (up to 20 million for some of the combined Radio 1 and Radio 2 shows). In the early-to-mid-1970s, Radio 1 presenters were rarely out of the British tabloids, thanks to the publicity department. The touring summer live ''[[Radio 1 Roadshow]]'' – usually BBC Radio Weeks promotions that took Radio 1, 2 and 4 shows on the road – drew some of the largest crowds of the decade. The station played a role in maintaining the high sales of 45rpm single records, although it benefited from a lack of competition, apart from [[Radio Luxembourg (English)|Radio Luxembourg]], and from [[Manx Radio]] in the Isle of Man. ([[Independent Local Radio]] did not begin until October 1973, took many years to cover virtually all the UK and was initially a mixture of music and talk). [[Alan Freeman]]'s Saturday Rock Show was voted Best Radio Show five years running by readers of a national music publication, and was then axed by controller Derek Chinnery.

On air, 1978 was the busiest year of the decade. [[David Jensen]] replaced [[Dave Lee Travis]] on the weekday drivetime programme<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_radio_one/1978-04-15|title=Schedule - BBC Programme Index|website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk|access-date=6 September 2021|archive-date=26 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726030112/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_radio_one/1978-04-15|url-status=dead}}</ref> so that DLT could replace [[Noel Edmonds]] on the ''[[Radio 1 Breakfast]]'' show.<ref>{{cite web |title=BBC Radio 1 England – 2 May 1978 |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/radio1/england/1978-05-02 |work=BBC Genome |publisher=BBC |access-date=19 November 2020 |archive-date=25 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025004314/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/radio1/england/1978-05-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Later in the year the Sunday teatime chart show extended from a Top 20 to a Top 40 countdown, and [[Tommy Vance]], one of the original presenters, rejoined the station to present a new programme, ''[[The Friday Rock Show]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/radio1/england/1978-11-17 |title=BBC Radio 1 England – 17 November 1978 |work=BBC Genome |publisher=BBC |access-date=14 July 2018 |archive-date=15 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715013552/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/radio1/england/1978-11-17 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On 23 November, Radio 1 moved from 247m (1214&nbsp;kHz) to 275 and 285m (1053 & 1089&nbsp;kHz) to improve national AM reception, and to conform with the [[Geneva Frequency Plan of 1975]].<ref name="radiorewind1">{{cite web |title= Radio 1 History – Transmitters |url=https://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio1/transmitter.htm |publisher=Radio Rewind |access-date=18 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.frequencyfinder.org.uk/History_Transmission.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.frequencyfinder.org.uk/History_Transmission.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=live|title = History of Radio Transmission in the UK|publisher= Frequency Finder}}</ref>

In 1978, [[Al Matthews (actor)|Al Matthews]] became the first black disc jockey on Radio 1. His Saturday night show ''Discovatin{{'}}'' was broadcast for over two years. During the summer a Wednesday show was also broadcast featuring live acts.

In 1984, [[Robbie Vincent]] joined to host a Sunday evening soul show. [[Mike Smith (broadcaster)|Mike Smith]] left for a while to present BBC1's ''[[Breakfast Time (British TV programme)|Breakfast Time]]''; Gary Davies took over the weekday lunchtime slot. [[Bruno Brookes]] joined and replaced [[Peter Powell (DJ)|Peter Powell]] as presenter of the teatime show, with Powell replacing [[Tony Blackburn]] on a new weekend breakfast show, which no longer contained children's requests.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/radio1/england/1984-09-23 |title=BBC Radio 1 England – 23 September 1984 |work=BBC Genome |publisher=BBC |access-date=9 September 2017 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/radio1/england/1984-09-29|title=BBC Radio 1 England – 29 September 1984|work=BBC Genome|publisher=BBC|accessdate=14 July 2018|archive-date=15 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715012109/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/radio1/england/1984-09-29|url-status=dead}}</ref> Blackburn left Radio 1 at this point.

In response to the growth in dance and rap music, Jeff Young joined in October 1987 with the ''Big Beat'' show. At the end of the year [[Nicky Campbell]], [[Mark Goodier]] and [[Liz Kershaw]] all joined, and Janice Long left.

Mayo replaced Smith on the breakfast show in May 1988.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/d8f0c965e8064233bad88a190ebf1138|title=Simon Mayo – BBC Radio 1 England – 23 May 1988|work=BBC Genome|date=23 May 1988|publisher=BBC|access-date=14 July 2018}}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In September, Goodier and Kershaw took over weekend breakfasts with Powell departing. Campbell took over weekday evenings as part of a move into night-time broadcasting as 1 October 1988 saw Radio 1 extend broadcast hours until 02:00; previously the station had closed for the night at midnight.

In his last few months as controller, Johnny Beerling commissioned a handful of new shows that in some ways set the tone for what was to come under [[Matthew Bannister]]. One of these "[[Loud'n'proud]]" was the UK's first national radio series aimed at a gay audience, which was produced in [[Manchester]] and aired from August 1993. Far from being a "parting quirk", the show was a surprise hit and led to the network's first coverage of the large outdoor [[Gay Pride]] event in 1994.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_radio_one/1994-06-18| title = BBC Programme Index – BBC Radio 1 18th June 1994| access-date = 6 September 2021| archive-date = 6 September 2021| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210906143431/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_radio_one/1994-06-18| url-status = dead}}</ref>

After the departure of Steve Wright, who had been unsuccessfully moved from his long-running afternoon show to the breakfast show in January 1994,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/radio1/england/1994-01-10 |title=BBC Radio 1 England – 10 January 1994 |work=BBC Genome |publisher=BBC |access-date=14 July 2018 |archive-date=15 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715012615/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/radio1/england/1994-01-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Bannister hired [[Chris Evans (presenter)|Chris Evans]] to present the breakfast show in April 1995. Evans was a popular presenter but was dismissed in 1997 after he demanded to present the breakfast show for only four days per week. Evans was replaced from 17 February 1997 by [[Mark and Lard]] –<ref>{{cite web |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/e5f4650da7db45d49cda1f8237923a95 |title=Mark Radcliffe – BBC Radio 1 England – 17 February 1997 |work=BBC Genome |date=17 February 1997 |publisher=BBC |access-date=29 October 2018 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> [[Mark Radcliffe (radio broadcaster)|Mark Radcliffe]] and his sidekick [[Marc Riley]] – who found the slick, mass-audience style required for a breakfast show did not come naturally to them. They were replaced by [[Zoe Ball]] and [[Kevin Greening]] eight months later in October 1997; Greening soon moved on, leaving Ball as sole presenter. The reinvention of the station happened at a fortuitous time, with the rise of [[Britpop]] in the mid-1990s – bands like [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]], [[Blur (band)|Blur]] and [[Pulp (band)|Pulp]] were popular and credible at the time, and the station's popularity rose with them. Documentaries like John Peel's ''Lost in Music'', which looked at the influence that the use of drugs have had over popular musicians, received critical acclaim but were slated inside [[Broadcasting House]].

[[File:Chris_Moyles_outside_Radio_1.jpg|right|thumb|upright|[[Chris Moyles]] outside Radio 1's radio studios]]

Listening numbers continued to decline. Radio 1 was challenged by an increasing number of new radio stations targeting youth such as [[Galaxy (radio network)|Galaxy]], [[Kerrang! Radio|Kerrang! 105.2]], [[NME Radio]] and [[Virgin Radio Xtreme]], as well as BBC's own digital TV station [[BBC Three]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Response to BBC Trust Review of Young People’s Services |url=https://www.radiocentre.org/files/radiocentre_response_to_bbc_trust_youth_services_review.pdf |website=www.radiocentre.org}}</ref>

The breakfast show and the [[UK Top 40]] continued to struggle. In 2000, [[Zoe Ball]] was replaced in the mornings by close friend and fellow [[ladette]] [[Sara Cox]].

The success of Moyles' show has come alongside increased success for the station in general. In 2006, DJs [[Scott Mills]] and [[Zane Lowe]] won gold [[Radio Academy Awards|Sony Radio Awards]], while the station itself came away with the best station award.

A new evening schedule was introduced in September 2006, dividing the week by genre.

The controller of Radio 1 and sister station 1Xtra changed to [[Ben Cooper (media executive)|Ben Cooper]] on 28 October 2011, following the departure of Andy Parfitt. Ben Cooper answered to the Director of BBC Audio and Music, Tim Davie.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ben Cooper is appointed BBC Radio 1's new controller|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/15494493|access-date=31 October 2011|newspaper=BBC News – Newsbeat|date=28 October 2011}}</ref>

In September 2012, [[Nick Grimshaw]] replaced [[Chris Moyles]] as host of "Radio 1's Breakfast Show". Grimshaw previously hosted Mon-Thurs 10pm-Midnight, Weekend Breakfast and Sunday evenings alongside Annie Mac. Grimshaw was replaced by Phil Taggart and Alice Levine on the 10pm-Midnight show.

In November 2012, another series of changes were announced. This included the departure of Reggie Yates and Vernon Kay. Jameela Jamil was announced as the new presenter of ''The Official Chart''. Matt Edmondson moved to weekend mornings with Tom Deacon briefly replacing him on Wednesday nights. [[Daniel Howell]] and [[Phil Lester]], famous [[YouTubers]] and video bloggers, joined the station. The changes took effect in January 2013.<ref>{{cite web|last=Cairns|first=Dan|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/20267639|title=Vernon Kay and Reggie Yates to leave Radio 1|publisher=BBC|date=9 November 2012|access-date=20 May 2014}}</ref>

In October 2017, another major schedule change was announced. Friction left the station. The change features Charlie Sloth gained a new slot called 'The 8th' which aired Mon-Thu 9-11pm. Other changes include [[MistaJam]] took over Danny Howard on the Dance Anthems. [[Katie Thistleton]] joined Cel Spellman on Sunday evenings, namely 'Life Hacks' (4-6pm) which features content from the Radio 1 Surgery, and Most Played (6-7pm). Danny Howard would host a new show on Friday 11pm-1am. Huw Stephens's show pushed to 11pm-1am. Kan D Man and DJ Limelight joined the station to host a weekly Asian Beats show on Sundays between 1-3am,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/41508629/charlie-sloth-gets-new-late-night-entertainment-show-on-radio-1-and-1xtra|title=Charlie Sloth gets new late night entertainment show on Radio 1 and 1Xtra |date=10 May 2017|website=BBC Newsbeat|access-date=4 November 2018}}</ref> [[René LaVice|Rene LaVice]] joined the station with the Drum & Bass show on Tuesdays 1-3am. [[Phil Taggart]] presented the Hype Chart on Tuesdays 3-4am.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl86/2017/11/07|title=BBC Radio 1 – Schedules, Tuesday 7 November 2017|publisher=BBC|access-date=4 November 2018}}</ref>

In February 2018, the first major schedule change of the year happened on the weekend. This saw Maya Jama and [[Jordan North]] join BBC Radio 1 to present the Radio 1's Greatest Hits, which would be on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Alice Levine moved to the breakfast slot to join Dev. [[Matt Edmondson]] would replace Alice Levine's original slot in the afternoon and joined by a different guest co-presenter each week. The changes took into effect on 24 February 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl86/2018/02/24|title=BBC Radio 1 – Schedules, Saturday 24 February 2018|publisher=BBC|access-date=4 November 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/42703116/maya-jama-and-celebrity-guests-join-radio-1-weekend-line-up|title=Maya Jama and celebrity guests join Radio 1 weekend line-up |year=2018|website=BBC Newsbeat|access-date=4 November 2018}}</ref>

In July 2019 it was announced that there would be two new shows on the weekend, the weekend early breakfast show and best new pop, both of which started on 6 September 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2019/arielle-free-early-breakfast-host|title=BBC – BBC Radio 1 announces Arielle Free as new Weekend Early Breakfast host – Media Centre|publisher=BBC|access-date=16 November 2019}}</ref>

Due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], there were temporary changes.

 

In July 2020, [[Alice Levine]] and [[Cel Spellman]] announced their resignation from BBC Radio 1. In September, [[Vick Hope]] was announced to join [[Katie Thistleton]], replacing Spellman.

[[BBC Radio 1 Dance]] launched on Friday 9 October.

In November 2020 it was confirmed that [[Dev (DJ)|Dev Griffin]], [[Huw Stephens]], and [[Phil Taggart]] would all be leaving the station at the end of the year. From January 2021, ''Radio 1 Breakfast'' was to return to five days per week while [[Arielle Free]] would host Early Breakfast (Mon-Thu 0500–0700) and three new presenters were to take turns hosting the early breakfast slot on Fridays.<ref>{{cite news|date=6 November 2020|title=Radio 1 announces new presenter line-up|language=en-GB|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-54837292|access-date=6 November 2020}}</ref> Adele Roberts left Early Breakfast after five years, moving to Weekend Breakfast (Sat-Sun 0700–1030). Matt Edmondson and Mollie King returned to Weekend Afternoons (Fri-Sun 1300–1600). On Sunday evenings, Sian Eleri replaced Phil Taggart as host of the Chillest Show and Gemma Bradley replaced Huw Stephens on BBC Introducing.

On 9 September 2023, Sam MacGregor and Danni Diston replaced [[Adele Roberts]] as the host of [[Radio 1's Weekend Breakfast Show]].  

On 7 February 2024, the [[BBC]] announced plans to launch a new Radio 1 spin-off station on [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]] and online via [[BBC Sounds]]. The Radio 1 spin-off will focus on music from the 2000s and 2010s, catering to the appetite from young audiences for recent nostalgia.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McIntosh |first1=Steven |title=Radio 2 spin-off among four new stations planned by BBC |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-68226389 |access-date=7 February 2024 |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date=7 February 2024}}</ref> The spin-off station was eventually launched on 8 November 2024 as [[BBC Radio 1 Anthems]].

Programmes have also regularly been broadcast from other regions, notably ''The Mark and Lard Show'', broadcast every weekday from [[New Broadcasting House (Manchester)|New Broadcasting House]], Oxford Road, [[Manchester]] for over a decade (October 1993–March 2004).

The BBC had been allocated three FM frequency ranges in 1955, for the then [[BBC Light Programme|Light Programme]] (now [[BBC Radio 2]]), [[BBC Third Programme|Third Programme]] (now [[BBC Radio 3]]) and [[BBC Home Service|Home Service]] (now [[BBC Radio 4]]) stations. When Radio 1 was launched, there was no FM frequency range allocated for the station. The official reason given was that there was no space, even though no commercial stations had yet been launched on FM. As a compromise, Radio 1 was allocated Radio 2's FM transmitters for a few hours each week - on Saturday afternoons from 1pm until 7pm, Sunday teatime from 5pm until midnight, Monday to Friday nights from 10pm until midnight (This was also due to the AM signal tropo interference from Europe at that time) and Bank Holiday afternoons from 2pm until 7pm when Radio 2 was broadcasting on medium wave, the holiday edition of ''[[5 Live Sport|Sport on 2]]''.

Phase 1 - from October 1988, ending on weeknights (10pm–midnight) and Sunday evenings (7pm–midnight).

Phase 2 was introduced from December 1989 - ceasing Saturday afternoons (1pm-7pm).

Phase 3 - from March 1990, the prime Sunday slot for the UK Top 40 (5pm-7pm), ceased.  

Once the fourth BBC national network Radio 1 transmission range was sufficient to cover most of the United Kingdom, after 23 years the shared FM frequency alliance between Radios 1 and 2 came to an end.  

This resulted BBC Radio 2 transmitting on FM full-time, where Radio 2's former AM frequencies - 693 & 909 - were allocated to BBC Radio 5.

===End of medium wave broadcasting -  1053 / 1089 kHz===

The BBC launched its national radio stations on [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]] digital radio in 1995; however, the technology was expensive at the time and so was not marketed, instead used as a test for future technologies. DAB was "officially" launched in 2002 as sets became cheaper. Today it can also be heard on UK digital TV services [[Freeview (UK)|Freeview]], [[Virgin Media]], [[Sky (UK and Ireland)|Sky]] and the Internet as well as FM. In July 2005, [[Sirius Satellite Radio]] began [[simulcast]]ing Radio 1 across the United States as channel 11 on its own service and channel 6011 on [[Dish Network]] satellite TV. [[Sirius Canada]] began simulcasting Radio 1 when it was launched on 1 December 2005 (also on channel 11). The Sirius simulcasts were [[Time shifting|time shifted]] five hours to allow US and Canadian listeners in the [[Eastern Time Zone (North America)|Eastern Time Zone]] to hear Radio 1 at the same time of day as UK listeners. On 12 November 2008, Radio 1 made its debut on XM Satellite Radio in both the US and Canada on channel 29,{{citation needed|date=May 2011}} moving to XM 15 and Sirius 15 on 4 May 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.siriusxm.com/pdf/11-524_SIR_WebLUs_5_4.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.siriusxm.com/pdf/11-524_SIR_WebLUs_5_4.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=live|title=Sirius Channel Lineup|date=2 May 2011|access-date=4 May 2011}}{{dead link|date=July 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.siriusxm.com/pdf/11-524_XM_WebLUs_5_4.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.siriusxm.com/pdf/11-524_XM_WebLUs_5_4.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=live|title=XM Channel Lineup|date=2 May 2011|access-date=4 May 2011}}{{dead link|date=July 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> Until the full station was removed in August 2011, Radio 1 was able to be heard by approximately 20.6&nbsp;million listeners in North America on satellite radio alone.

BBC Radio 1 can be heard on cable in the Netherlands at 105.10 FM.

=== Music ===

Because of its youth-orientated nature, Radio 1 plays a broad mix of current and potential future hits, including [[indie rock|independent]]/[[alternative rock|alternative]], [[hip hop music|hip hop]]/[[Contemporary R&B|R&B]], rock, dance/[[electronica]] and pop. This made the station stand out from other [[contemporary hit radio|top 40]] stations, both in the UK and across the world. Since its progressive view on modern electronic music, the BBC Radio 1 is well-liked and known in the worldwide [[drum and bass]] community, frequently hosting producers and DJs like [[Hybrid Minds]] or [[Wilkinson (musician)|Wilkinson]].

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| rowspan=2 | <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/teen-awards-winners/|title=Ed Sheeran, Stormzy, Love Island, Ariana Grande, Beauty and The Beast - Winners of BBC Radio 1's Teen Awards revealed|website=www.bbc.co.uk|access-date=17 January 2023}}</ref>

In the summer of 2021 Radio 1 held ''Radio 1's Summer Breakout'', where James was locked inside a camper van and had to escape by entering a password. James escaped the van after 62 hours.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://canvas-story.bbcrewind.co.uk/summerbreakout/ |title=Radio 1's Summer Breakout - How Greg James escaped! |publisher=BBC |access-date=24 July 2023}}</ref>  The following year, James was booted off the Radio 1 Breakfast Show and had to complete a giant 20-piece jigsaw puzzle to find the missing pieces scattered across the United Kingdom. After six days, James completed the puzzle and was reinstated as host of the Breakfast show.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 July 2022 |title=Greg James reinstated as presenter after completing Radio 1 Giant Jigsaw |url=https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/20512859.radio-1s-greg-james-finishes-hove-lagoon-giant-jigsaw/ |access-date=21 July 2023 |website=The Argus |language=en}}</ref>

== Online-only sister stations ==

{{main|BBC Radio 1 Dance|BBC Radio 1 Relax|BBC Radio 1 Anthems}}

In September 2024, the BBC launched 2 new online-only radio stations, one of them being [[BBC Radio 1 Anthems|BBC Radio 1 Anthems.]]

== Controllers/Head of Station ==