Current North West Tonight host and weather reporter Owain Wyn Evans will be returning to his native Wales to host Radio 2’s new Early Breakfast Show next year.
Evans is currently best-known for his TV work, having served a spell on Look North before his move across the Pennines, though he has plenty of radio experience too having worked at a number of BBC local stations including BBC Radio York, Leeds and Manchester during his 20+ year career.
Evans will replace Vanessa Feltz, who stepped down in July, in the early morning 4 to 6.30am slot. The show will also be the first Radio 2 weekday programme to move out of London and forms part of the BBC’s Across The UK plans, as announced by the director general in 2021, allowing the BBC to better reflect, represent and serve all parts of the country.
The show will be broadcast from the BBC Cymru Wales broadcast centre in Cardiff, and the tender opens today for production companies to pitch for the show, which will launch in January 2023.
Evans said: “When I asked my parents for a pair of turntables and a mixing desk from a DJ shop in Llanelli when I was 13 I never allowed myself to dream that one day I’d have my own show on Radio 2! I can’t wait to help kick start the day on Early Breakfast live from Cardiff. Bore da dahlings as we say in Wales!”
Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2, added: “I’d like to welcome Owain to the Radio 2 family. His deep connection with Wales is obvious and I’m delighted he will be broadcasting live from Cardiff every weekday morning. His warmth and wit make him the perfect host to set up the day for our listeners right across the country, who have clearly and warmly taken him to their hearts each time he has presented in this slot.”
Evans is also a keen drummer, and became a global viral success during the 2020 lockdown when he filmed himself drumming to the BBC News theme tune, which was viewed tens of millions of times. This was the springboard for his famous, record-breaking 24-hour Drumathon for Children In Need in 2021. The presenter’s exhausting stunt on his kit raised over £3.8m, making it the most successful 24-hour challenge in the 41-year history of BBC Children In Need.
