BBC Radio 2 is undergoing a significant scheduling overhaul, with Angela Scanlon set to become the new host of the Drivetime show this November. The announcement, made during Sara Cox's Breakfast Show on Monday, also confirmed that Ben Earle will take over the Thursday night Country Show.
The domino effect of Sara Cox’s move to Breakfast
The upcoming restructuring at BBC Radio 2 is driven by a high-profile shuffle of the station's most prominent daytime slots. as reported by the source, Sara Cox is vacating her Drivetime position—a role she has held for seven years—to step into the Breakfast Show slot previously occupied by Scott Mills. This transition is part of a broader station shake-up intended to refresh the lineup of the broadcaster's most listened-to hours.
During the announcement, Cox joked about the "dysfunctional family" Scanlon is joining, noting that she had been keeping the news secret for several weeks. This move effectively shifts the station's energy, moving one of its most recognizable voices into the early morning slot and opening the 4pm-7pm window for a new era of broadcasting.
Angela Scanlon’s evolution from guest host to Drivetime regular
Angela Scanlon is moving into the Drivetime role after an eight-year history with BBC Radio 2,dating back to her 2018 debut on the Sunday early breakfast show. While she has established herself as a versatile media personality through roles on ITV's This Morning and hosting The Apprentice: Unfinished Business, her connection to Radio 2 has been deepening for years. Scanlon also recently co-hosted Eurovision coverage alongside Rylan Clark.
Scanlon noted that her recent summer stint as a guest host felt like a "summer fling," whereas her new permanent role will allow for a more "warts and all" relationship with the audience. The transition also brings personal changes; as a mother to eight-year-old Ruby and four-year-old Marnie, Scanlon acknowledged the challenges of balancing a major radio role with the "witching hour" of parenting. She expressed excitement about being "wedged" between radio legends Trevor Nelson and Jo Whiley in the daily schedule.
Ben Earle succeeds Bob Harris on the Thursday Country Show
The programming changes extend into the evening, with Ben Earle announced as the new presenter for The Radio 2 Country Show. earle will host the program on Thursday evenings from 9pm to 10pm , stepping into a role previously held by Bob Harris. harris, a mainstay of the station, had presented the show since 1999 before stepping down earlier this year due to ill health.
Earle brings significant industry credibility to the slot. As one half of the best-selling British country duo The Shires, he is a seasoned performer who has previously filled in for Harris on Radio 2. His ability to connect with the genre was recognized in 2020 when he received the CMA International Country Broadcaster of the Year award, according to the report.
Replacing the 25-year legacy of Bob Harris and Sara Cox
While Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2, described Scanlon as "incredibly warm and quick witted," the station faces the delicate task of managing listener loyalty during this transition. The move involves replacing two presenters with deep institutional roots: Sara Cox, who spent seven years on Drivetime, and Bob Harris, who led the Country Show for over two decades.
The primary question remains how the audience will adapt to these new voices in such foundational slots. While Scanlon has already proven her popularity during her summer guest hosting, the shift from the established routines of Cox and Harris represnts a significant change in the station's sonic identity.
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