Chris Evans Drivetime
Encyclopedia
Chris Evans Drivetime was a flagship programme on BBC Radio 2
, which aired on weekdays between 17:00 and 19:00 in the United Kingdom
. It was presented by veteran broadcaster Chris Evans, who moved to drivetime from his Saturday afternoon show after Johnnie Walker
gave up the slot after seven years in 2006. On 7 September 2009 the BBC announced that Evans would take over the breakfast show (now called the Chris Evans Breakfast Show
) from the retiring Sir Terry Wogan, from 11 January 2010, and on 15 September it was confirmed that Simon Mayo
would replace Evans on Drivetime.
or his substitute for his show
, and then declares 'now it's our go, and that includes you'. Throughout the show, Chris plays a mixture of music both old and new, speaks to people that are making the more bizarre headlines, and reads listeners' texts and emails.
Unlike most live radio programmes, each show is given a title, usually of a quirky nature, and is dedicated to a person or group. Usually this group is all people who have done something that particular day, such as 'resisted a craving'.
, née Fox
, brings listeners the business news. Jonny Saunders
reads the sports headlines. Sally Boazman
presents the travel updates.
market data and exchange rates, at 17:20 and 18:20 each day. Listeners also send in their business-related questions, which Foxy must then answer in the second slot. This feature is known as Fox the Fox and is accompanied by Danny Kaye
's Outfox the Fox, which acts as the theme tune. Fox the Fox does not appear on Fridays, when the 18:20 round-up is marked with an innovation slot.
's Woman's Hour
, Chris speaks to four women in quick succession. They are asked who they are, where they are and what they are driving, and for their answer to that week's question. In early 2009, Chris asked the question 'what do you do that's a bit nutty but effective?' and it was deemed so effective that it remained active until April.
, Chris plays a listener-requested TV theme tune.
was present at the judgement of his single "Give a Little Love", but Chris claimed that there were no negative texts received.
, Thursday is used as the request day.
, known as the H Spot. The 18:20 spot, which marks the beginning of the weekend, is currently Sammy Davis, Jr.
's The Candy Man
, having previously been occupied by the E Spot; Elvis Presley
's The Wonder of You
; and, in 2008, the D Spot; Tom Jones
' Delilah
, marks the beginning of the weekend. The E Spot was chosen because a listener on the blog chose The Wonder of You as the first song of the show, on the week Lesley Douglas resigned. Chris announced that if he ever decided to end the D Spot he would replace it with the E Spot. Chris and Sally sing along, and listeners are encouraged to inform the show of where they sang along.
, Chris Evans was awarded Radio Personality of the Year, and Drivetime was awarded the Entertainment Award. Additionally, Sally Boazman has received awards for her traffic reporting
on numerous occasions.
joined the show and played a 20-minute concert on the roof of Broadcasting House
to 5,000 listeners.
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
, which aired on weekdays between 17:00 and 19:00 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It was presented by veteran broadcaster Chris Evans, who moved to drivetime from his Saturday afternoon show after Johnnie Walker
Johnnie Walker (DJ)
Johnnie Walker MBE is a popular British veteran radio disc jockey and broadcaster....
gave up the slot after seven years in 2006. On 7 September 2009 the BBC announced that Evans would take over the breakfast show (now called the Chris Evans Breakfast Show
Chris Evans Breakfast Show
The Chris Evans Breakfast Show is the flagship show on BBC Radio 2 in the United Kingdom. It is presented by Chris Evans from 11 January 2010, when Evans took over from Sir Terry Wogan who ended his stint as Breakfast presenter at the end of 2009...
) from the retiring Sir Terry Wogan, from 11 January 2010, and on 15 September it was confirmed that Simon Mayo
Simon Mayo
Simon Mayo is an English radio presenter who has worked for BBC Radio since 1981. As of January 2010, Mayo is presenter of Simon Mayo Drivetime on BBC Radio 2 and, with Mark Kermode, presenter of Kermode and Mayo's Film Reviews on BBC Radio 5 Live.In 2008, Mayo was recognised as the "radio...
would replace Evans on Drivetime.
Ethos
Chris thanks Steve WrightSteve Wright
Stephen Richard "Steve" Wright is an English radio presenter. He presents the afternoon show on BBC Radio 2. He rose to prominence in the early 1980s while working with Peter Dickson on BBC Radio 1.-Early career:...
or his substitute for his show
Steve Wright In The Afternoon
Steve Wright in the Afternoon is the name of the current afternoon show on BBC Radio 2, hosted by Steve Wright. The show is one of the most popular on the station, and is often referred to as The Big Show...
, and then declares 'now it's our go, and that includes you'. Throughout the show, Chris plays a mixture of music both old and new, speaks to people that are making the more bizarre headlines, and reads listeners' texts and emails.
Unlike most live radio programmes, each show is given a title, usually of a quirky nature, and is dedicated to a person or group. Usually this group is all people who have done something that particular day, such as 'resisted a craving'.
The team
Chris is joined throughout the programme by three colleagues. Rebecca PikeRebecca Pike
Rebecca Pike is a business and economics correspondent for the BBC. She has worked as a reporter on a number of Radio and TV news programmes, including the Today programme, Radio 4’s Six o’clock News, Radio 5 Live, BBC One’s TV news bulletins and the BBC News channel.Pike attended Bedales School...
, née Fox
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
, brings listeners the business news. Jonny Saunders
Jonny Saunders
Jonny Saunders is a former British radio sports reporter, presenter and commentator. He worked for the BBC and featured on Radios 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 Music...
reads the sports headlines. Sally Boazman
Sally Boazman
Sally Boazman, known to many of her listeners as "Sally Traffic", is a British radio traffic reporter, best known for her work in the afternoons on the national BBC Radio 2, with more than eight million listeners. Her reporting "revolutionised" United Kingdom traffic news with the addition of live...
presents the travel updates.
Rebecca Pike
Rebecca Pike, formerly Fox, and known commonly as Foxy, reads the business headlines including the FTSEFTSE
FTSE may refer to:* The FTSE Group* Stock market indices published by the FTSE Group, particularly the FTSE 100 Index on the London Stock Exchange* The Fundamental theorem of software engineering...
market data and exchange rates, at 17:20 and 18:20 each day. Listeners also send in their business-related questions, which Foxy must then answer in the second slot. This feature is known as Fox the Fox and is accompanied by Danny Kaye
Danny Kaye
Danny Kaye was a celebrated American actor, singer, dancer, and comedian...
's Outfox the Fox, which acts as the theme tune. Fox the Fox does not appear on Fridays, when the 18:20 round-up is marked with an innovation slot.
Jonny Saunders
Jonny Saunders rounds up the sports headlines at several points during the show, and speakers to a sports personality every day at 18:50, who is said to be 'in the locker'. Chris tends to introduce the locker slot by asking Jonny 'who's in the locker-cocker?'. Jonny's Friday slot includes a talk about a 'mad sport'. Jonny also provides the voice for top tenuous, jukebox jury and gobsmackers. See below.Sally Boazman
As well as her traffic duties, Sally is involved with various other aspects of the show's line-up. See below.Features, Monday – Thursday
As well as business, sport and traffic; the line-up on most weekdays includes various features.The Kids
Chris and Sally speak to a child each day, who has done something for the first time ever. Their achievements are awarded with a fanfare.Woman's Minute
In a gentle parody of BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
's Woman's Hour
Woman's Hour
Woman's Hour is a radio magazine programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in the United Kingdom.-History:Created by Norman Collins and originally presented by Alan Ivimey the programme was first broadcast on 7 October 1946 on the BBC's Light Programme . It was transferred to its current home in 1973...
, Chris speaks to four women in quick succession. They are asked who they are, where they are and what they are driving, and for their answer to that week's question. In early 2009, Chris asked the question 'what do you do that's a bit nutty but effective?' and it was deemed so effective that it remained active until April.
Theme Time Radio Minute
A parody of Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio HourTheme Time Radio Hour
Theme Time Radio Hour was a weekly, one-hour satellite radio show hosted by Bob Dylan originally airing from May 2006 to April 2009...
, Chris plays a listener-requested TV theme tune.
Top Tenuous
Jonny decides the famous person whose listener associations are showcased. This is usually somebody who has been in the news on this day. The aim is for these associations to be as weak as possible, with the top 10 most tenuous being the ones selected.Drivetime Jukebox Jury
Jonny also presides over the Jukebox Jury. A new track is played, and listeners are invited to text either 'hit' or 'miss', plus their comments, to the programme. Jonny reads The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of these comments (over said theme tune) before Chris announces whether the track was overall a hit or a miss. Sir Tom JonesTom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
was present at the judgement of his single "Give a Little Love", but Chris claimed that there were no negative texts received.
Gobsmackers
Immediately following the drivetime jukebox jury, two connected tracks are played, which are selected by a listener.Monday Mince
Since 2009, a cheesy song has been played after the 18:00 news each Monday, dedicated to burly truckers everywhere.Thirsty Thursday
Thursday's programme is known as Thirsty Thursday, and includes food with Nigel Barden. The daily clips of how to contact the show are also played simultaneously, as something of a special treat.All Request Friday
On Fridays, each song is selected by a listener, and all features apart from sport, business and travel are suspended. The first track is selected on the blog, and thereafter listeners phone in their requests. All-request Friday is introduced by a hearty rendition of the song Bring Chris Evans On. When the Friday show is cancelled, such as in Holy WeekHoly Week
Holy Week in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter...
, Thursday is used as the request day.
The H Spot and The C Spot
Selected annually, the only songs not requested by listeners are played at 17:20 and 18:20. In 2009, the 17:20 tune is the theme to Happy DaysHappy Days
Happy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984, on ABC. Created by Garry Marshall, the series presents an idealized vision of life in mid-1950s to mid-1960s America....
, known as the H Spot. The 18:20 spot, which marks the beginning of the weekend, is currently Sammy Davis, Jr.
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
's The Candy Man
The Candy Man
"The Candy Man" is a song from the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. It was written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley specifically for the film and does not appear in the original book or the 2005 film adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...
, having previously been occupied by the E Spot; Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's The Wonder of You
The Wonder of You
"The Wonder of You" is a song written by Baker Knight. In 1959, Ray Peterson released it as a single. The song became a Top 40 hit for him on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #25. That same year it was recorded by Ronnie Hilton in the United Kingdom, his version reaching #22 on the UK Singles...
; and, in 2008, the D Spot; Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
' Delilah
Delilah (1968 song)
"Delilah" is a song recorded by Welsh singer Tom Jones in 1968. It was written by Barry Mason, with music by Les Reed.-Success:It reached No 1 in the charts of several countries including Germany and Switzerland. It reached No 2 in the British charts in March 1968 and was the sixth best selling...
, marks the beginning of the weekend. The E Spot was chosen because a listener on the blog chose The Wonder of You as the first song of the show, on the week Lesley Douglas resigned. Chris announced that if he ever decided to end the D Spot he would replace it with the E Spot. Chris and Sally sing along, and listeners are encouraged to inform the show of where they sang along.
Mascot
Also selected annually is the drivetime mascot. The Rex Factor sees listeners' dogs battle it out to become the official mascot. The current mascot is Biscuit, a bearded collie/terrier X. As of 9 April 2009, Biscuit has 1,619 friends on his Facebook page.Awards
At the 2009 Sony Radio Academy AwardsSony Radio Academy Awards
The Sony Radio Academy Awards , started in 1983, are some of the most prestigious awards in the British radio industry. They are run by ZAFER Associates in association with the Radio Academy...
, Chris Evans was awarded Radio Personality of the Year, and Drivetime was awarded the Entertainment Award. Additionally, Sally Boazman has received awards for her traffic reporting
Traffic reporting
Traffic reporting is the distribution of information about road conditions such as traffic congestion, detours, and traffic accidents, generally as part of a radio or television broadcast program. The reports help commuters anticipate and avoid traffic problems. Many reports mention alternate...
on numerous occasions.
U2 Concert
On 27 February 2009, U2U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
joined the show and played a 20-minute concert on the roof of Broadcasting House
Broadcasting House
Broadcasting House is the headquarters and registered office of the BBC in Portland Place and Langham Place, London.The building includes the BBC Radio Theatre from where music and speech programmes are recorded in front of a studio audience...
to 5,000 listeners.