Nicky Campbell swaps BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast for new phone-in show

Nicky Campbell is to leave the Breakfast show on BBC Radio 5 Live after almost 20 years at the helm.

Campbell will host a new weekday show based on his current one-hour Your Call phone-in slot, which is presently part of the Breakfast slot.

The new show will launch later this year and will run from 09:00 to 11:00.

His Breakfast replacement has not yet been announced. Campbell currently presents with Rachel Burden, who described it as "the end of an era".

Campbell said: "It's why I love 5 Live - hearing from listeners and talking to people about what really does matter to them and their communities. It's a constant privilege hearing people's passion, candour, anger and raw honesty. Our listeners make me listen. They make me think, laugh and cry. I can't wait for this to start.

"Leaving Breakfast is really tough after so many unforgettable programmes with Rachel and the team, but I've been getting up at 4am for 19 years now, so it's time I had a bit more sleep!"

He will also front a new podcast for BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds.

Adrian Chiles currently presents a weekday show from 10am to 1pm on the station on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, while Naga Munchetty presents the same slot on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It's not yet known how their shows will be affected by the change.

Campbell joined the station, which has roughly five million listeners, from Radio 1 in 1997.

Controller Heidi Dawson said: "Nicky is the master of radio phone-in broadcasting. The last year with the pandemic has shown just how deep Nicky's connection is with our listeners across the UK. They have opened up to him about every detail of their lives through this difficult time.

"We want to give our audience more time on air and Nicky is the perfect presenter to enable that conversation."

Campbell has won several Sony Awards including a gold for 5 Live Breakfast's coverage of the 9/11 attacks on New York. He also presents ITV show Long Lost Family.

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