You’ll be well aware of the millions of radio listeners US radio hosts Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly, Don Imus, Sean Hannity Glen Beck and Howard Stern draw in. Here’s Music Radio Creative’s guide to the most influential UK talk radio hosts based on UK radio listening figures.
Most Listened to Radio Shows
1. Jeremy Vine
BBC Radio 2, over 13 million listeners each week
The only talk radio show on BBC Radio 2 featuring news, opinions and phone calls with host Jeremy Vine. The man with the most powerful voice on British radio and presenter of the BBC’s prestigious Panorama TV programme which contains top rate investigative journalism. Every weekday from 12pm-2pm Jeremy Vine discussed subjects on the nation’s consciousness.
2. John Humphrys
BBC Radio 4, 9.8 million listeners each week
The Today programme on BBC Radio 4 doesn’t follow any other media they set the agenda of the day. John Humphrys is a well known voice on British radio and has a familiar face that can be seen often on UK TV.
3. Nicky Campbell
BBC Radio 5 Live, 6.1 million listeners each week
Nicky Campbell presents the most popular talk and phone in based breakfast show on BBC Radio 5 Live the fourth most popular radio station in the UK (at the time of writing) after BBC Radios 2, 1 and 4. He tackle’s the issues and opinions of the day with an extremely popular phone in hour between 9am-10am.
4. Ian Collins
talkSPORT, 2.5 million listeners each week
Ian Collins has been presenting late night radio for decades on talkSPORT and formerly for Talk Radio UK. He hosts the most popular late night talk radio show in the UK and still sounds as fresh today as he did back in the 90s when he presented the most popular overnight talk show “Ian Collins and the Creatures of the Night”. The Late Show with Ian Collins focuses on the important news stories of the day, invites phone calls, tweets and emails along with a celebrity interview every night between 12am-1am on “The Adult Hour”.
5. Iain Lee
Iain Lee, Absolute Radio, 0.9 million listeners each week
Iain Lee, that cheeky face from the 11 O’Clock Show on Channel 4, is now one of the most powerful, influential and popular talk radio hosts in the UK. He presents a fun based show with phone calls and random jokes on Absolute Radio (formerly known as Virign Radio). The Slough born comedian, television and radio presenter started his career performing stand up gigs in London.
About Mike Russell
Interesting list!
Thanks. Please share some of your top talk radio hosts.
Worth noting that Iain Lee’s now hosting breakfast at BBC Three Counties Radio.
That’s true Robin. Many of the presenters have moved around (such is the nature of radio)! Ian Collins now has his own podcast.