Angela Scanlon Confirmed as New Host of BBC Radio 2 Drivetime, Ben Earle to Lead Country Show

Angela Scanlon has been named the new permanent presenter of BBC Radio 2's drivetime programme, stepping into the 16:00 to 19:00 weekday slot that Sara Cox vacated earlier this year. The Irish broadcaster and television personality will begin hosting the show from November, the station confirmed on Monday.

The announcement was made on Cox's breakfast programme, where Scanlon appeared as a guest to share the news with listeners. Her appointment follows a summer of guest hosts who filled the drivetime chair on a rotating basis after Cox departed the slot in May to take over the station's flagship breakfast show.

Scanlon described the opportunity as "properly exciting," adding that she was looking forward to the unique intimacy of daily radio broadcasting. She noted that millions of listeners, all experiencing vastly different days, would come together in a shared conversation for a few hours each afternoon, calling it a strange and lovely phenomenon.

The drivetime show occupies a strategically important position in Radio 2's schedule, serving as the bridge between the working day and the evening. Station controller Helen Thomas emphasised this significance, explaining that the programme plays a crucial role in ensuring listeners get home and begin their evenings in a positive and upbeat mood.

Scanlon is a familiar face and voice to British audiences. She has co-presented The One Show and appeared on This Morning, Your Home Made Perfect and The Apprentice: Unfinished Business. In 2023, she participated in Strictly Come Dancing, further raising her profile with mainstream entertainment viewers.

Her radio credentials are well established. She hosted a Sunday early morning programme on Radio 2 from 2018 to 2021, and in 2024 she presented the weekend breakfast show on Virgin Radio following Graham Norton's departure. She also co-hosts the Get A Grip podcast, demonstrating her versatility across both broadcast and digital audio formats.

During the summer, Radio 2 tested a range of presenters in the drivetime slot, including Joel Dommett, Jason Manford, Ellie Taylor, Alex Jones and Gary Davies. The station's decision to rotate hosts allowed executives to gauge audience response before committing to a permanent appointment. Thomas said Scanlon proved extremely popular with listeners during her summer appearances and described her as incredibly warm and quick witted.

Scanlon's own description of her ambitions for the show struck a conversational tone. She said she would be in listeners' ears, cars and kitchens during the school run, the commute home, or while standing at the hob wondering what to feed a hungry family. She invited stories, opinions, chaos, small triumphs and the kind of confessions perhaps better kept off national radio.

Thomas also extended her gratitude to the presenters who had kept the drivetime seat warm during the interim period, acknowledging the disruption caused by Cox's move to breakfast. Cox replaced Scott Mills on the Radio 2 breakfast show in April, a high-profile reshuffle that set off a chain of schedule changes across the network.

In a separate announcement, Radio 2 revealed that Ben Earle will take over the station's weekly country music programme. He succeeds Bob Harris, the veteran broadcaster known as "Whispering Bob," who presented the show for 27 years before announcing his departure in June.

Harris's decision to step down came weeks after he disclosed that his prostate cancer had spread to his spine. The 79-year-old has been a defining voice in British country and roots music broadcasting, and his long tenure on Radio 2 made him one of the station's most enduring figures. He first joined the network in 1970 and has spent more than five decades on air.

Earle is best known as one half of the British country group The Shires, but he also brings significant radio experience to the role. He has fronted a weekly programme on Absolute Radio Country for the past five years, building a reputation for knowledgeable and enthusiastic presentation within the genre.

Thomas praised Earle's depth of understanding, passion and enthusiasm for country music, combined with his years as a working musician and his radio experience. She said these qualities made him the ideal successor to Harris, and expressed hope that Earle would host the programme for decades to come, mirroring the longevity of his predecessor.

The two appointments signal Radio 2's continued investment in established personalities who can connect with a broad audience while maintaining specialist music programming. Scanlon's warmth and humour are expected to anchor the station's afternoon output, while Earle's musical background positions him to carry forward the country show's legacy.

For Scanlon, the move represents a return to a station where she previously held a regular weekend slot, now elevated to one of the most high-profile positions in UK radio. For Earle, it offers a national platform to champion a genre that has grown steadily in popularity across Britain in recent years. Both presenters will take up their new roles as Radio 2 reshapes its daytime and specialist line-up for the months ahead.