BBC Radio 1 announces Christmas guest presenter line-up - BBC News
From Boxing Day until New Year's Day, 33 new DJs and presenters will take over the airwaves.
Radio 1 has announced its guest presenters for the festive period.

From Boxing Day until New Year's Day, 33 new faces will take over the airwaves in the station's second guest-presenter takeover.

The station put the call out for DJs and presenters in October.

"I can't wait to hear our latest batch of presenters on air over the festive period, and I look forward to seeing what 2021 has in store for them all," says Head of Radio 1 Aled Haydn Jones.

Many of the selected presenters have taken an unconventional route to their first slot on Radio 1, including Will Kirk from Sheffield, whose day job is in marketing.

Will Kirk was diagnosed with hearing loss when he was seven months old

Will, 22, has severe-to-profound hearing loss in both ears and wears hearing aids - he will be Radio 1's first deaf or hard-of-hearing DJ.

"I got my first hearing aid at 11 months old. It's something I've always known, that's always been a part of me.

"I like to make a good joke because I can't change it so I might as well make people laugh about it."

In terms of music, there are "a few hiccups", Will admits, such as headphones.

He says there's lots of experimenting to try and get into the best position.

"Even now, the solutions I've got aren't perfect, but you have to keep trying to find new things and new ways of doing things."

Will hopes to be able to inspire people by presenting on Radio 1.

"To come up and have DJing as a hobby when you are deaf just seems like a ridiculous combination - but just go for it."

He adds there's always ways to work around it.

"I'm sure anybody that's disabled will say you can find a way to get things done and don't let anything pull you down - including yourself. Don't pull yourself down about anything, just go out there and do it."

Jevanni Letford, from East London, qualified as a lawyer before moving into a career in radio and music - and is now the official tour DJ for KSI.

"It feels amazing and I am absolutely honoured. Having been DJing for over 10 years and putting in the work, this makes all of the journey to date feel worthwhile," the 31-year-old says.

Nels will become the first black broadcaster to present the Radio 1 Rock Show

Several of the presenters began their journeys in student, local, community or hospital radio, including 24-year-old Nels Hylton, who has previously volunteered at the University of Portsmouth's Pure FM and at community station Transmission Roundhouse.

He will become the first black presenter to host Radio 1's Rock Show.

"It's really humbling to be selected as part of Radio 1's Christmas line-up, even more so to be the first black broadcaster to present the Radio 1 Rock Show. I can't wait to host the show and prove that rock music is for everybody," he said.

The first Christmas takeover took place in 2019, with three of the presenters securing roles on Radio 1.

Sian Eleri will become the new host of BBC Music Introducing on Radio 1 in January, and Joel Mitchell and Fee Mak will each take a turn at hosting Radio 1's Early Breakfast on Fridays in the new year.

The initiative has "proven to be a fantastic springboard," Aled adds.