BBC Radio 1Xtra has made a big schedule shake-up as it aims to increase listening figures.
The station, which recently marked its 20th anniversary, had a modest increase to 756,000 weekly listeners in the latest RAJAR results. However, the network is well down on the one million listeners it brought in a few years ago.
Remi Burgz (pictured) will move into the drive-time slot on Monday to Friday (4-7pm). Remi Burgz joined 1Xtra in 2021, beginning at the Weekend Breakfast Show before becoming the host of a weekday show a year later. Burgz takes over from Reece Parkinson, who is stepping down to focus on new projects.
Joelah Noble will take over from Lady Leshurr on Saturdays, between 1-4pm.
BBC 1Xtra has also moved to offer an alternative to the increasingly popular classic stations such as Capital Xtra Reloaded. Although 1Xtra has been focused on new music and artists, it will now add its on-demand music show 1Xtra’s Throwback Party into its live schedule. From Monday to Thursday during drive-time, presenters Joelah Noble and Keke will deliver listeners hip-hop and R&B tracks from the ’90s, ’00s and ’10s.
A longer version of their show will then be available on BBC Sounds in a brand new offering called 1Xtra Throwbacks.
BBC Radio 1Xtra will also launch its first ever weekday show to come from outside of London. The new show will be hosted by a new presenter, Kaylee Golding, and broadcast from The Mailbox in Birmingham every Monday to Friday, 1-4pm.
The new weekday show from Birmingham follows the launch of BBC 1Xtra’s first weekly show to come from outside of London. The 1Xtra Introducing Show with Theo Johnson, dedicated to showcasing undiscovered artists, launched last September and airs from Birmingham every Sunday (10pm-midnight).
These moves are part of the BBC’s Across The UK plan, moving content away from London to allow the BBC to better reflect, represent and serve all audiences.
All schedule changes will come into effect from April 3.
Faron McKenzie, head of station, BBC 1Xtra, said: “BBC 1Xtra has ambitious plans for 2023 and this schedule shake-up is just the start. We’ve said it before – 1Xtra are committed to increasing investment and supporting broadcasting talent across the UK. As a Birmingham native myself, I’m so proud to be delivering on that promise and bringing 1Xtra to such an amazing and diverse city. I’m excited to see Kaylee represent, connect with new audiences, and inject her fun, Brummy energy into 1Xtra afternoons.
“Remi has also forged an incredible relationship with our listeners in such a short space of time – proving her status as a broadcasting superstar. I know she’s going to deliver that huge energy she’s known for into the drive-time slot. Reece will be missed by all at the network and we wish him the best of luck in his exciting new projects.
“Topping it off, Joelah is ready to hit the ground running on her new show and her positive, warm and friendly vibes make her perfect for Saturday afternoons. She is also a highly experienced broadcaster and her work across TV, radio and the wider media industry speaks for itself.”
FOLLOW 
