BBC Radio One has introduced two new presenters as they undergo another shake-up at their station.
Lauren Layfield, 36, and Shanequa Paris, 29, will take over the channel’s Life Hacks as they replace Vick Hope and Katie Thistleton.
Life Hacks, airing every Sunday from 4pm to 6pm, is a weekly show and podcast dedicated to open and frank discussions about issues affecting young people.
From April 7, listeners can expect the new duo to become the show’s resident hosts, as they will continue to broadcast the episodes from Salford.
Vick, 34, and Katie, 34, who has fronted the show since it launched in 2017, recently announced they are moving to Going Home with Jamie Laing.
Lauren Layfield, 36, and Shanequa Paris, 29, will take over BBC Radio One’s Life Hacks, replacing Vick Hope and Katie Thistleton.
Vick, 34, and Katie, 34, who has fronted the show since it launched in 2017, recently announced they are moving to Going Home with Jamie Laing.
Vick and Katie’s last Life Hacks show will be March 31.
Presenter and DJ Lauren spent four years presenting Capital FM’s Early Breakfast Show, presenting The One Show and covering the Eurovision Song Contest 2023.
Earlier this year, he also presented Radio 1’s Friday Early Breakfast slot in January.
Speaking about her big career move, Lauren said: “I am absolutely delighted to officially join the BBC Radio 1 family. I have listened to and loved Radio 1 since I was a teenager and it is a total privilege to join their ranks.
‘Life Hacks is such an iconic show that looks at everything from health to careers to relationships; As a journalist, one of my favorite things is to talk to people about their own stories and I know Radio 1 listeners are wonderfully willing to share. I can’t wait to lead the chat!’
Shanequa presented CBBC’s news program Newsround where she reported on key issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Last summer, she got a taste of the show when she co-hosted Life Hacks alongside Katie as part of the station’s summer 2023 schedule.
Speaking about her new permanent role, she said: “I can’t believe I get to join the most fabulous station, on a show that is even more fabulous and that speaks to so many people on a personal level.”
Jordan North (pictured) left the show; He will replace Roman Kemp at Capital Breakfast and will officially start in April 2024 alongside Chris Stark and Sian Welby.
Jamie Laing, 35, has also undergone a big career change as she will also co-host Going Home, which airs daily between 3.30pm and 6pm.
‘Life Hacks is that program to hold your hand and give you that hug when you need it! Sunday is the new Friday. We’ve got you covered, darling!’
BBC Radio 1 Director Aled Haydn Jones said: “I am very excited to welcome Lauren and Shanequa, two brilliant young journalists and broadcasters, to Radio One.
‘Life Hacks is a very important program in Radio One’s programming, offering invaluable content that only the BBC can achieve. I can’t wait to hear what Lauren and Shanequa bring to the show!’
Radio One has seen big changes among its presenters in recent weeks, with not only Vick and Katie leaving their usual resident roles.
Alongside Vick and Katie, Jamie Laing, 35, has also undergone a big career change as she will also co-host Going Home, which airs daily between 3.30pm and 6pm, then of Jordan North’s departure.
Radio DJ Jordan, 34, will replace Roman Kemp, 31, at Capital Breakfast and will officially start in April 2024 alongside Chris Stark, 36, and Sian Welby, 37.
Meanwhile, the BBC also announced that Matt Edmondson, 38, and Mollie King, 36, who currently present Matt and Mollie on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons, will move to the weekday afternoon show.
The couple have been hosting weekend breakfasts together since 2018 and, starting in July, will host them from 1pm to 4pm Monday to Thursday.
“I can’t wait to spend more time with them and my best friend, Matt, during the week,” The Saturdays star Mollie said of the possibility of hosting a new show together.
Matt added: “I feel really lucky to be taking part in this new show with my best friend, and I have no doubt that we will continue to champion incredible music, be ridiculously competitive, and laugh uncontrollably.”
The station’s biggest change comes after Celeb runner-up Jordan bid farewell to Radio One earlier this month to join Capital’s Breakfast Show, replacing his long-time host Roman.
But it was claimed that the news that he was leaving the show came as a “shock to him” as information about the exit “was published without his knowledge in chaotic scenes”.
It has not yet been confirmed who will replace them in their current position, from Friday to Sunday afternoon.
The publication reports that he had unknowingly already hosted his final episode of the show when his departure was announced.
Meanwhile, the BBC also announced that Matt Edmondson, 38, and Mollie King, 36, who currently present Matt and Mollie on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons, will move to the weekday afternoon show.
Tensions had reportedly been high “for months” over her departure after she let producers know she wanted to leave.
The source said: ‘Talks went back and forth between Jordan’s people and senior BBC officials for months, and over time they deteriorated.
‘Once he formally requested to leave, that was it – he went off the air immediately.
“It’s a shame it ended on such a bad note after 10 years.”