Presenting my own Radio 1 show

How did you get the opportunity?

Through being a member of Scratch, the student radio station, and attending the Student Radio Association yearly conference. It's a huge industry networking conference for students in radio and this year it was held in Leeds. I entered a competition called Demo Factor, which required you to submit your demo and then they get played live in the theatre at random. The panel of industry professionals from BBC, Global and Bauer gave me a golden buzzer... then I won! The head of Radio 1 then invited me to pilot for radio 1 Anthems. 

Tell us about the experience - what did you do, how did you find it?

I had to complete two pilots for Radio 1. Essentially, this means you work alongside a producer and record a type of audition tape so that other producers and executives can hear how you would sound if you were actively on the station.

I received feedback after my first one and then recorded a second. After I found out I got the job, I was invited onto Greg James' breakfast for the live launch of Anthems. It's been a really intense couple of months, with uni work on top of show prep, but I've learnt so much already and hopefully can continue working with Radio 1 for a long time! 

How did you prepare for your show?

My shows on Radio 1 Anthems are ongoing! I prerecord them once or twice a week, depending on what producers I'm working with, and record from both BBC Manchester in Media City or BBC Birmingham in the Mailbox. I present Radio 1 Anthems Playlist, Radio 1 Anthems Discovery and Radio 1's 100 Greatest Anthems.

At the moment, the station is purely for Christmas anthems, but I'll be back on in the new year, presenting a few workout anthems too! Anthems plays a wide mix of music from 00's and the 10's, as well as new music. It's mainly about providing listeners with loads of nostalgia, taking you back to when you were younger,  when you first discovered a band or an artist! It's proper feel good and definitely deserves a listen. 

How has your course helped you to prepare for this opportunity?

Studying a degree in Media Production has been a really big help in guiding me through what could be and now is a job in radio. Not only am I a more confident presenter but I've also learnt how to confidently produce audio with industry standard software. This also helps when working with industry producers and opens up other potential employability opportunities.

Where/how can we listen to your show?

You can listen on BBC Sounds. Just search for Radio 1 Anthems, and you can see the full schedule of what's coming up or what's already played out. Or just search for my shows that are stated above! 

Do you have any tips for aspiring presenters who want to apply for similar opportunities?

Networking and work placements have really been the best thing I've done throughout my time at university. It's a big commitment going to university, and I really believe you only get out what you put in. For me, it meant applying for absolutely anything and everything. Even the things I wasn't overly excited about. Sometimes it meant attending events on my own, which is daunting... but it's what lead me to my opportunity at Radio 1.

Treat everyone you meet as a potential contact in the world of work; being a nice, memorable person really helps lay the foundations! I asked to meet up with people for coffee, spoke about my goals and even pitched ideas to them on how I could help their business, literally creating opportunities for myself (even if it was all unpaid to begin with!). You never know what opportunities will arise from meeting up with people who may initially be in a completely different field to you!

See what a day in the life for Lauren looks like at Radio 1.