Leeds DJ Emily Pilbeam bags own Christmas show on BBC Radio One

A well-known DJ in Leeds has bagged her own Christmas show on BBC Radio One.
Emily Pilbeam, 23, will host the BBC Music Introducing show on Radio One this Christmas. Photo: BBC.Emily Pilbeam, 23, will host the BBC Music Introducing show on Radio One this Christmas. Photo: BBC.
Emily Pilbeam, 23, will host the BBC Music Introducing show on Radio One this Christmas. Photo: BBC.

Emily Pilbeam, 23, regularly hosts the BBC Music Introducing show on BBC Leeds on Saturday nights.

She also hosts gigs and DJs at Oporto in Call Lane and is a resident DJ at Belgrave Music Hall on Wednesday nights.

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This Christmas, Emily will host the BBC Music Introducing on Sunday, December, 27 from 11pm-1am.

The 23-year-old says it’s an “unbelievable” feeling to be part of the Christmas schedule.

Emily said: “I've listened to Radio 1 religiously since a very young age so to actually be presenting on the station feels completely mental - in the best possible way.

“I can't wait to play some ace tunes for everyone to enjoy over the Christmas period.”

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Emily is one of one of the 33 new presenters that will be taking over the station over the Christmas period.

It is part of a new initiative to give young presenters the opportunity to host a national show.

Aled Haydn Jones, Head of BBC Radio 1, says: “We introduced this initiative in 2019 as a way of giving some new young presenters a chance to showcase their talent on a national level.

"One year on, it’s proven to be a fantastic springboard, with many of the presenters landing follow up gigs on Radio 1 and beyond.

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"I can’t wait to hear our latest batch of presenters on air over the festive period, and I look forward to seeing what 2021 has in store for them all.”

Radio 1 put out a call for presenters out in October, asking for submissions from anyone with previous radio experience, be it in community, hospital, student or local radio.

The new roster have the chance to follow in the footsteps of the station’s current DJs including Greg James and Nick Grimshaw who both started out presenting on student stations, Clara Amfo who began her career as a radio intern, and Annie Mac who previously worked as Assistant Producer to Zane Lowe.

The first guest presenter takeover of this kind took place in 2019, with three presenters from the cohort since securing subsequent presenting roles on Radio 1: Sian Eleri, who will become the new host of BBC Music Introducing on Radio 1 in January, and Joel Mitchell and Fee Mak, who will each take a turn at hosting Radio 1’s Early Breakfast on Fridays on rotation in the new year.

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