Radio 1’s huge new weekday schedule is here

It’s all change at BBC Radio 1 from Monday, with the launch of the station’s brand new schedule.

DJ Arielle Free will be transitioning from early mornings to Thursday evenings with a new Dance Show, Radio 1’s Rave-Up which airs 8-10pm.

Dean McCullough has left the lunchtime show and will take over Arielle's Early Breakfast show, broadcast Monday to Thursday from 5am until 7am.

Dean's afternoon show, which he co-hosted with Vicky Hawkesworth, will be taken over by Matt Edmondson and Mollie King, who are moving from their weekend slot.

Matt expressed his excitement, saying he "can't wait" to start the new weekday show.

Mollie added, "We've been so grateful to have such wonderful and loyal listeners for our weekend show. I can't wait to spend more time with them and my best bud, Matt, during the week."

On Fridays, James Cusack presents three hours of dance tunes between 1pm and 4pm. He’ll also take over from Matt and Mollie on Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes.

There are more changes as well, with Greg James’s breakfast show extended until 11am each weekday throughout July and August.

Greg James says: “Being on the radio is pretty much my entire personality so why not do an extra half hour a day for all those who can’t be bothered waking up early for the Breakfast Show in the summer holidays.”

In other news, Radio 1 will provide the soundtrack to the hottest summer festivals broadcasting live from Glastonbury, TRNSMT, Ibiza, Malta and Reading and Leeds, in addition to being live from Radio 1’s Big Weekend, Parklife and Download over previous weekends. Radio 1 will deliver all of the most memorable moments from each festival directly to listeners, from exclusive backstage interviews to headline performances from some of the world’s biggest artists. Listeners can tune in live on BBC Sounds as well as on Radio 1 from Friday to Sunday (1pm – 4pm).

Later this summer Radio 1 will also launch a number of new shows on the BBC Sounds Radio 1 Dance stream. Arielle Free will host Radio 1 Dance Morning, which will launch on 15 July and be available Monday to Sunday. Danny Howard will present Radio 1’s Dance Party Warm Up, a weekly show available every Thursday (6pm – 8pm) getting listeners ready for the weekend. Pete Tong will curate his Essential History of Dance a weekly show (Saturdays, 7pm – 8pm) dedicated to telling the story of the Dance genre. There will also be a new evening specialist series which will see Radio 1 Dance collaborate with key Dance music labels Defected Records, HE.SHE.THEY. and DnB Allstars. Additionally, Connor Coates will present a daily playlist – Radio 1 Dance – which will come from Northern Ireland, playing the best new, current and classic Dance tracks, and Charlie Hedges’ Radio 1 Dance Anthems will be streamed daily across afternoons.

Lastly, Martha will take over the station’s weekly Tuesday night show (11pm – 1am) which was previously hosted by the late Radio 1 DJ Annie Nightingale.