BBC Radio 5 Live
The Voice of the UK
BBC Radio 5 Live is one of the UK’s best-known national radio stations for breaking news, live sport, interviews, debate and phone-ins. Available across the UK on AM, DAB Digital Radio, BBC Sounds and online, BBC Radio 5 Live brings listeners up-to-date coverage of major national and international stories alongside live football, cricket, rugby, Formula 1, boxing and more.
About BBC Radio 5 Live
Local time:
BBC Radio 5 Live is a UK national radio station from the BBC, focused on live news, live sport, current affairs, interviews, audience debate and rolling reaction to the biggest stories of the day. Since launching in 1994, it has built a strong reputation for fast-moving coverage, intelligent discussion and major sports commentary, making it one of the BBC’s most recognisable spoken-word radio brands.
The station is widely available across the UK on AM radio, DAB Digital Radio, digital TV platforms and online via BBC Sounds. BBC Radio 5 Live is especially well known for its breaking news coverage, listener phone-ins, topical discussion programmes and extensive sports rights output, with coverage that often includes football, rugby, cricket, tennis, Formula 1, boxing and other major sporting events involving UK teams and athletes.
As part of the wider BBC radio network, BBC Radio 5 Live works alongside sister services including BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, which provides additional live sports coverage when multiple events are taking place at the same time. The station broadcasts primarily from MediaCityUK in Salford and remains a major destination for listeners who want a mix of news, sport, analysis, interviews and live reaction throughout the day.
BBC Radio 5 Live is likely to appeal to listeners who want live UK news, expert sports commentary, current affairs discussion, opinion-led phone-ins and regular updates on the biggest stories in politics, business, entertainment and sport. It is particularly popular with people looking for speech radio that feels immediate, informative and connected to what is happening right now.
Notable shows & presenters are:
- 5 Live Breakfast with Rick Edwards and Rachel Burden: weekday mornings, covering breaking news, sport, interviews and the major talking points of the day.
- Nicky Campbell: weekday mid-mornings, with phone-ins, audience debate, current affairs and reaction to major UK stories.
- Naga Munchetty / Adrian Chiles: weekday late morning and early afternoon discussion, interviews and topical conversation.
- Matt Chorley: weekday afternoons, mixing news, politics, analysis and conversation-driven programming.
- 5 Live Drive with Chris Warburton and Clare McDonnell: weekday drive time, featuring live news updates, interviews, sport and reaction to the day’s headlines.
- 5 Live Sport: evening and weekend live sport coverage, often fronted by presenters such as Mark Chapman, Kelly Cates, Steve Crossman and Darren Fletcher.
- Up All Night: overnight programming associated with Dotun Adebayo and Laura McGhie, covering news, conversation and listener interaction.
- Fighting Talk: the long-running Saturday sports panel show, currently associated with Rick Edwards.
- 606: the famous football phone-in, commonly associated with Robbie Savage and Chris Sutton.
- Saturday Breakfast / Sunday Breakfast: weekend breakfast programming with presenters including Jeanette Kwakye, Eleanor Oldroyd and Gordon Smart.
More radio stations on BBC Sounds, from the BBC
Contact Information
Official website:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live/bbc_radio_five_live
Listener contact / station interaction:
BBC Radio 5 Live is widely associated with audience interaction through calls, texts and BBC feedback routes. Publicly listed listener contact details often include:
Call / WhatsApp: 0808 590 9693
Text: 85058
BBC Audience Services / feedback:
For general BBC enquiries, feedback or complaints, use the BBC contact and audience services routes online or by post.
Postal address:
BBC Audience Services
PO Box 1922
Darlington
DL3 0UR
Broadcast base:
BBC Radio 5 Live is associated with MediaCityUK, Salford.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbc5live/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbc5live/
X / Twitter: https://x.com/bbc5live
BBC Radio 5 Live UK FAQ
What is BBC Radio 5 Live?
BBC Radio 5 Live is a UK national BBC radio station focused on breaking news, live sport, interviews, audience debate, phone-ins and current affairs discussion.
How can I listen to BBC Radio 5 Live?
You can listen to BBC Radio 5 Live on AM radio, on DAB Digital Radio, online through BBC Sounds, on selected TV platforms and via smart devices that support BBC radio streaming.
What kind of programmes are on BBC Radio 5 Live?
BBC Radio 5 Live broadcasts live news, sports commentary, interviews, phone-ins, political discussion, current affairs analysis, business updates and topical speech radio throughout the day and night.
Does BBC Radio 5 Live cover live sport?
Yes. BBC Radio 5 Live is one of the UK’s main radio stations for live sport, with regular coverage of football, rugby, cricket, tennis, Formula 1, boxing and many other major events.
Who are the presenters on BBC Radio 5 Live?
Well-known BBC Radio 5 Live presenters and programme hosts include Rick Edwards, Rachel Burden, Nicky Campbell, Naga Munchetty, Adrian Chiles, Matt Chorley, Chris Warburton, Clare McDonnell, Mark Chapman and other BBC news and sport broadcasters.
Is BBC Radio 5 Live the same as BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra?
No. BBC Radio 5 Live is the main station for news, sport and discussion, while BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra is a sister service used mainly for additional live sports coverage when extra commentary streams are needed.
Can I listen to BBC Radio 5 Live online?
Yes. BBC Radio 5 Live can be streamed online through BBC Sounds, making it easy to listen live on desktop, mobile and compatible connected devices.
Is BBC Radio 5 Live available across the UK?
Yes. BBC Radio 5 Live is a national station available across the UK on AM, DAB Digital Radio and online, although some live sports rights may affect how certain coverage is distributed online.
Where is BBC Radio 5 Live based?
BBC Radio 5 Live is primarily associated with MediaCityUK in Salford, where much of the station’s output is produced.
What is BBC Radio 5 Live best known for?
BBC Radio 5 Live is best known for live news coverage, major sports commentary, breaking stories, phone-ins, debate and presenter-led discussion on the biggest issues in the UK and beyond.