±«Óãtv

On Bank Holiday Monday 31 May, ±«Óãtv Radio 1 and BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Service) Radio will be teaming up for a very special day, linking live with the BFBS Radio studio on the ground in Afghanistan, across the UK and to British Forces in more than 20 countries.

Live segments will be broadcast in daytime shows on ±«Óãtv Radio 1 between 9am and 7pm, with a longer simulcast in Fearne Cotton and Greg James's shows between 12pm and 2pm on the Bank Holiday.

BFBS presenters Richard Hatch and Jessie Aru will anchor the content from the local Afghanistan-based station, and a podcast featuring all the day's segments will subsequently be broadcast across the BFBS network.

Soldiers based abroad will have the opportunity to request songs and broadcast messages to friends and family back home, as ±«Óãtv Radio 1 teams with BFBS radio in Camp Bastion, the main base for British troops in Afghanistan.

In a first for both stations a ±«Óãtv Radio 1 producer will be working at the camp for a week, chatting to soldiers and working alongside BFBS presenters and producers to create content to be broadcast throughout the day.

Nicky Ness, Controller BFBS Radio, says: "Being on the ground with our Forces, living cheek by jowl with our audience, is what BFBS Radio is all about.

"The launch last year of our studio in Camp Bastion was particularly special as it is the first frontline operational station to open since we launched on DAB in the UK earlier last year so for the first time in our 65 year history we are connecting the troops in theatre live and direct with their families at home."

Rhys Hughes, Executive Producer, ±«Óãtv Radio 1, says: "This is the first time ±«Óãtv Radio 1 has teamed up with BFBS to broadcast direct from Afghanistan and we're proud to be working with them.

"Giving our servicemen and women the chance to broadcast dedications to loved ones back home is the very least we can do to support the incredibly important work they do."

Notes to Editors

BFBS Radio is available on DAB digital radio, Sky Guide 0211 and Freesat Channel 786 in the UK and on FM in more than 20 countries around the Forces' World.

BFBS Radio is part of the Services charity SSVC, which includes BFBS TV, providing 10 TV channels for Forces and their families worldwide; CSE Forces entertainment, putting on live shows; SSVC Cinemas; The British Defence Film Library; and SSVC Retail.

BFBS Radio received a Sony Radio Academy Special Award on 10 May 2010 in recognition of a contribution by BFBS to the radio industry that reaches beyond the normal bounds of the Awards.

TM