WRITTEN December 2009
INTRODUCTION
I wrote about BBC Radio Five Live in my previous incarnation on Ciao as mrpaella. I still listen to the station every day. Usually my wife watches a plethora of Indian channels on the living room TV. I usually listen to the station broadcast from ... Read review
Advantages: Probably the best news and sports station in the UK Disadvantages: Some programmes are boring
...I wrote about BBC Radio Five Live in my previous incarnation on Ciao as mrpaella. I still listen to the station every day. Usually my wife watches a plethora of Indian channels on the living room TV. I usually listen to the station broadcast from the alarm clock radio in our bedroom. It is still the best station for sport and current affairs. I don't know if our Karen ever listens to Radio Five Live?
THE BREAKFAST SHOW
... ...leave Radio Five Live for BBC Radio Two in the future.
DRIVE
I was saddened when Jane Garvey left 'Drive' for BBC Radio Four. But Peter Allen and Anita Anand do a great job of hosting this show. The interviews are well-conducted and there is a lot of humour in the show. Peter Allen always talks about his vegetarian daughter and his love for Tottenham Hotspur football club.
I wrote about BBC Radio Five Live in my previous incarnation on Ciao as mrpaella. I still listen to the station every day. Usually my wife watches a plethora of Indian channels on the living room TV. I usually listen to the station broadcast from the alarm clock radio in our bedroom. It is still the best station for sport and current affairs. I don't know if our Karen ever listens to Radio Five Live?
THE BREAKFAST SHOW
This is hosted by Nicky Campbell and Shelagh Fogarty. I hardly ever listen to the programme. When I do, I am usually half-asleep and don't take in any information. I did enjoy Nicky Campbell's show in the late morning many years ago.
VICTORIA DERBYSHIRE SHOW
The debates on this programme can be quite enjoyable. Victoria is a very good interviewer and has a lot of information to impart. I tune into this show if 'This Morning' on ITV1 is boring.
SIMON MAYO SHOW
I used to listen to Simon Mayo on Radio One. He has turned into a very good interviewer. The sports segment of his show is good. I don't like the cinema reviews nor the interviews with celebrities. I hardly ever agree with the cinema reviewers. One of the best films I have seen over the past few years was 'Bratz' which got panned by the film critics. A lot of the interviewees often have a book or film to plug which makes for boring radio. I believe that Simon Mayo will leave Radio Five Live for BBC Radio Two in the future.
DRIVE
I was saddened when Jane Garvey left 'Drive' for BBC Radio Four. But Peter Allen and Anita Anand do a great job of hosting this show. The interviews are well-conducted and there is a lot of humour in the show. Peter Allen always talks about his vegetarian daughter and his love for Tottenham Hotspur football club.
Anita has made an incredible career progression over the past few years. I used to see her on Zee TV in charge of heated debates. She then used to appear on the 'Chiles On Saturday' show. Subsequently she hosted a late evening weeknight show on Radio Five Live. I love the various anecdotes from her life. Once she arrived home in an angry mood, she took off one of her high heels and threw it at the wall causing damage. One New Year's Eve her brother's pet snake had coiled itself to the TV/VCR wires and she spent 3 hours trying to untangle it.
SPORT ON FIVE
I am a sports addict. This programme from 7 pm to 10.30 pm on weeknights would satisfy every sports buff. Really the quality of sports journalism is excellent. All the major sports are covered. The football sports commentaries are excellent as are the commentators such as Alan Green. Summariser Mark Lawrenson's jokes are worth tuning in for. Mark Pougatch is a great journalist. There is a sister station called Five Live Sports Xtra which I have never listened to.
RICHARD BACON SHOW
This programme is on from 10.30 pm to 1 am on weeknights. I do like Richard's style. Often there is a topic involving a celebrity earlier in the day. Richard then invites listeners to share their own experiences as the celebrity. The secret half hour from 12.30 am is also quite innovative. I often listen to the show whilst preparing for bed. Richard used to go out with the former Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq. I looked her up on Wikipedia and found out that her parents hailed from Pabna, Bangladesh just like my father. A few years ago I saw Konnie behind the Blue Peter stall at the National Cat Club Show at Olympia. She looked beautiful.
UP ALL NIGHT
This show is hosted by Dotan Adebayu and sometimes by Rhod Sharp. I often catch the beginning of the show whilst trying to sleep. Dotan often speaks to other broadcasters from American radio stations. About a year ago I woke up about 4 am and could not get back to sleep. So I put the radio on. There was a high-brow scientific discussion about the proton. The subject was too difficult for me to comprehend.
THE WEEKEND SHOW
This show is hosted by John Pienaar and Dalya Raphael. John Pienaar is an expert on politics and explains complicated issues very well to the lay person. Dalya Raphael first came to my attention reading the news. I liked her anecdote about not liking rice pudding at school.
606
I love this football phone-in show. Supporters ring in to praise or complain about their team. Izzy does a good job going through all the e-mails and texts. The nearest equivalent on TV is 'You're On Sky Sports' on Sky Sports 1. More recently shows such as cricket 606 have been broadcast which is a great idea.
STEPHEN NOLAN SHOW
There is a lot of controversy and debate on this show. I feel that Stephen Nolan would make a better guest than host. He has such passionate views that it is difficult for him to be impartial. I still feel that Edwina Currie, who used to host this show, has not been adequately replaced.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Funnily enough, I don't listen to Radio Five Live when driving. On short trips, I like to listen to Magic 105.4 FM. On longer journeys to Hull e.g. I listen to Classic FM, Radio Two and sometimes Three Counties Radio. In Hull I listen to BBC Radio Humberside and Magic. A few years ago my name got read out by a female presenter on the Hull Magic channel. Fame at last!
The Radio Five Live team will relocate to Manchester in the future on the grounds of cost. I don't know if any presenters will leave as a result?
I wonder if wonderful Wendy ever listens to the radio?
Advantages: Generally good , some good presenters Disadvantages: Repetitive
...problems would help.
The BBC though does have some of the best sports correspondents and Radio 5 does utilise these very well. Among the best of these are Mike Ingham (Soccer),Pat Murphy (Cricket), Cornelius Lysaght (Racing), Johnathan Legard (Motor Racing) and Norman Debell (Golf) as well as the sports news correspondent Gordon Farquhar. These correspondents always add knowledgeable, relevant and intelligent views about their various sports.
On ...
polydeuces 01.12.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of BBC Radio 5 Live
Advantages: up to the minute news and fantastic for Sport Disadvantages: nothing, well except they have no comedy programmes
...goals from around the country as they happen. It really is quick and the guests, interviewers and commentators really know their stuff.
Forget Talk Radio, thats rubbish compared to 5 Live , like the Pros vs Amateurs. Switch over to BBC Radio 5 Live and switch on to Sport. ...
bananaman 27.08.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of BBC Radio 5 Live
Advantages: Comprehensive news and sports coverage Disadvantages: Some late night programmes are boring
Although BBC Radio 5 Live was only formed in the early 1990s it has already become the UK’s leading radio station for news and sport. In fact it has a good reputation worldwide.
Radio 5 Live provides unrivalled sports coverage. There are sports reports every 30 minutes. Any breaking sports stories are covered between these sports bulletins. Most of the sports journalism is of the highest standard.
Before the advent of Radio 5 Live I used ... ...all day.
In short BBC Radio 5 Live provides the best possible radio news and sports coverage.
UPDATED August 2001
I read with amazement a newspaper article last week. It said that radio listeners outnumbered TV viewers. I am one of those converted to radio listening.
I remember in 1984 that the media were full of praise for a new programme called ‘Blind Date’. I thought it would last about 3 years. But ITV has constantly screened ...
mrpaella 21.03.2001 (20.08.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of BBC Radio 5 Live
What can i say about what is simply the best radio station in the world. Radio five live carries upto the minute live news from around the world. Its sport coverage is second to none, especially the football coverage. It covers more live matches evry year than sky TV, On digital, and all the terrestial stations put together. Whats more, the commentators make it so lively, and the descriptions of the matches so good, it is more exciting than watching ...
Malmsteen 31.08.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of BBC Radio 5 Live
Advantages: Informed and diverse Disadvantages: Somewhat pedestrian in the mornings
...It presents its well researched content very well indeed, is home to some of the most incisive yet entertaining commentators on any radio station anywhere in the world and has something for everyone.
BBC Radio 5 Live can be found on 909 and 693 MW, or check out www.bbc.co.uk/5live ...
Deiz 09.01.2001 (12.01.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of BBC Radio 5 Live
Quality of reception
Quality of programming
Range of programming
How good are the presen...
Quality of information
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