British Network Television & Radio
BBC Radio 4’s “Saturday Live” broadcasts from Cardiff
BBC Radio 4’s “Saturday Live”, the latest in a series to head to the Welsh capitol, is set for a live transmission from a new home
Today, Saturday, 1 April 2023, sees Nikki Bedi and BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live team broadcast from the heart of Cardiff. The team, making the Welsh capital its new home, is well-set for a brand new brighter future. Bedi, joined by guest-co-host Peter Curran, welcomes scientist and broadcaster Alice Roberts and Inheritance Tracks from writer and broadcaster Elizabeth Day into the studio.
Bedi, an international television and radio broadcaster, has been covering the arts across the world for over two decades. Further, as well as co presenting Saturday Live, Bedi has two long-running shows on the BBC World Service; The Arts Hour which she curates, writes and presents and the monthly Arts Hour on Tour.
“I’m hugely looking forward to seeing the Cardiff dawn every Saturday morning and broadcasting from Central Square. Radio has no borders or boundaries and Saturday Live, with our blend of depth and mischief, will continue to have people sharing their stories each week, connecting us all, and proving that no one has an ordinary life,” Bedi said.
BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live is the latest in a series of programmes to make Cardiff its home in line with the BBC’s ambition to see more programmes produced outside of London — a strategy entitled Across the UK announced by the Director-General in 2021. Cardiff already hosts Owain Wyn Evans and his early-morning BBC Radio 2 show and much of the broadcaster’s science output is also produced in the Welsh capital.
Any Answers?, on Saturday, 15 April 2023, will be presented by Anita Anand. Any Questions?, the sister program to Any Answers?, will be presented by Alex Forsyth. The programming, alongside Last Word with Matthew Bannister, are being produced from Bristol and Cardiff.
This new approach has seen over 25 roles created in Central Square producing a range of content in arts, classical music, drama, factual, science, topical and current affairs.
“As Saturday Live listeners will know all too well, this brilliant programme weaves great stories and fascinating people into a wonderful hour of a warm conversation and humour,” Mohit Bakaya, Director of Speech Audio and Controller of BBC Radio 4 and 4Extra said. “Cardiff — a young capital city with a name for being friendly, fun and vibrant — is the perfect new location for the show and a great opportunity to broaden the range of voices each week.”
“It’s fantastic to see Saturday Live’s team make Wales their home, part of the BBC’s Across The UK commitment to better reflect, represent and serve audiences where they live,” Rhuanedd Richards, Director BBC Cymru Wales said.
“The production facilities in BBC Wales’s broadcast hub in Central Square are second to none and it’s great to see so many colleagues from our network teams making great use of them. I’d like to wish Nikki and the team a very warm welcome to Wales. Croeso i Gymru!”
