Hits Radio Pride
Since 2023, I have regularly read the news on the sister station of Hits Radio - Hits Radio Pride.
This station launched back in 2020 with the focus on good music, relevant entertainment and impactful news - all targeted towards members of the LGBT community.
LGBT+ History Month
2024: 'Under The Scope'
The task for 2024
LGBT+ History Month
Hits Radio Pride has never before comprehensively covered LGBT+ History Month - and I wanted to change that.
I tasked myself on writing an article to complement our on-air coverage, which I sourced, and asked my colleagues to also source, interviews for.
With this year's theme being 'Under the Scope', I focussed on HIV, as well as those of the transgender community - and local 'Pride' events - all of which provided unique perspectives within the LGBT+ community, and interesting thoughts of what this Month means for them.
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2025: 'Activism and Social Change'
LGBT+ History Month
The task for 2025
Building on my work covering LGBT+ History Month in 2024, I wanted my coverage in 2025 to focus even more on the people whose lives are impacted, and whose work is exemplified during February.
One theme I cover extensively is Football v Homophobia, which is another campaign which also runs throughout this month, and this gives a really interesting insight into the culture around the sport, and the admirable work being done to ensure LGBT-targeted discrimination is eradicated.
The audio from these interviews was compiled and used on-air throughout February on Hits Radio Pride - and on those stations where interviewees were from - including Greatest Hits Radio London, and Hits Radio North East.
The Vivienne
Marking one year since they passed away
The death of The Vivienne back in January 2025 sent shockwaves across the world of drag - but their influence was felt in a much wider sphere than just the queer space. Speaking to many who knew them in the year since, it's clear Viv was seen as an icon, and as an inspiration, to so many. Landmarks across the North West, North Wales, Cheshire, Liverpool and Milton Keynes shone green on the anniversary of Viv's death in a powerful moment of togetherness.
Josh Cavallo & Heather Small
Two legends in their fields:
Josh Cavallo - the Aussie A-League star and LGBT icon turned to the National League North in 2025 for a new life in the UK... and I caught up with him to chat all things Peterborough Sports!
Heather Small - who needs no introduction, is no stranger to the Pride event calendar across the country, and is so passionate about her support for the queer community ❤️ - we couldn't not talk about what it means to her at the Tramlines Festival in 2025.
Heather Small as the Lionesses celebrate their second Euros victory
I caught up with the M People icon at Tramlines Festival to talk all things music - and all things performing in God's Own Country - but on a special weekend of sport for the Lionesses, and of the back of a tour of Pride events across the country, it was her respect of the LGBTQ+ community which I focused on for Hits Radio Pride
Josh Cavallo & Mariah Carey on a special day of bulletins on Hits Radio Pride
Mariah Carey - the pop star who needs no introduction too - and international LGBT footballing icon Josh Cavallo in the very same bulletin... both of which we'd sourced at Bauer made our station sound HUGE on the day before the National League North kicked off their 2025/6 campaign
Broadcast exclusive: Man shares his story of discrimination living with HIV
In what was a broadcast exclusive for us at Hits Radio Pride after spotting a post on social media, Jason Reid shared with me his experience of being mistakenly discriminated against - after his ear wax consultant denied treatment because he lives with HIV
The closure of G-A-Y Bar: 'Old Compton Street has lost its queer identity'
Hearing the news about the closure of G-A-Y Bar in Soho just days before this special on Hits Radio Pride, I chatted with the owner about why he's leaving Soho... and drag queen Beary Poppins about their fond memories of a staple of the capital's nightlife scene
The collapse of Manchester Pride as it enters voluntary liquidation
After the team extensively covered the voluntary liquidation announcement made in October 2025 by Manchester Pride, I used my bulletin two days later to reflect on the story with two prominent local voices - giving listeners a chance to reflect on what's happened... and look towards the future of a staple of the Mancunian summer calendar.
Ice hockey: Heated Rivalry & Pride Week
Heated Rivalry took the world by storm in 2026 - so I caught up with one of the team from the Elite Ice Hockey League talking all things on the ice! And of course, we also build-up to the start of the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina with a special appearance on the torch relay...
Drag Rugby
Chatting to me at Hits Radio Pride - I catch up with a rugby team who went viral in October 2025... for playing against a side completely in drag. They raised thousands of pounds for a good cause.
Kurts Adams Rosentals
This Team GB hopeful made headlines at the end of October 2025 for being banned from his sport of canoeing because he'd posted an explicit video on his Instagram page.
Agreeing to speak to us at Hits Radio Pride, I asked him more about the ruling - and the wider issue around why he'd started it all in the first place... and the result was an in-depth article on our news pages and a one-minute feature piece on funding in the world of elite sport.
March 2026: Trans Mission, BFI Flare and badminton tournament
March 2026 was a big month for getting exclusive audio and running interviews with some of the LGBTQ+ community's most inspirational people - no less than the person behind the first ever 'Trans Mission' at Wembley Arena in London.
April 2026: A rugby legend, queer icons and 12 months since the Supreme Court ruling on gender
April 2026 was another big month - with huge, landmark moments which will be remembered as some of the most important of the year. No less, the London Marathon saw thousands descend on the capital... and it's been a year since the Supreme Court ruling on 'gender' and 'sex' in the Equality Act
Dean Atta
I caught up with Dean Atta ahead of the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards - which undoubtedly is the most glittering night in British cinema!
Two Black Boys in Paradise, a stop-motion animation inspired by his poem, gained international recognition for its poignant storytelling - and this feature on Dean explores how he's gone from writing stories on pen and paper to mixing with the stars of British movies and television!
February 2026:
Huge on celebrities and sport
As well as chatting with Dean Atta for the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards, February was also a huge month for sport and celebrities. I was on the Red Carpet for the first ever BRIT Awards to be held outside of London, and kept our listeners up-to-date with the very latest LGBTQ+ news in Milano Cortina, the host of the Winter Olympics and Paralympics!
Manchester Pride 2025
What a time Manchester Pride was! From chatting with queer icons including B*Witched, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Danny Beard, to transforming into a shuttlecock in Saturday's Pride Parade - I fully immersed myself in it all.
Reporting for Hits Radio Pride and the Hits Radio network, I produced wraps, voicers, packages and interviewed just a few of the thousands who'd descended on the city for what was a celebration of love and colour.
Pride Month 2024
>> In 2024, I wanted to make sure Hits Radio Pride covered Pride Month both on-air and online
>> This article explores a brief look into the history of the month - and just why it's so important in 2024
>> It also gave us the chance to link to other Pride events we've been covering - like Birmingham Pride, which happened back in May
Kelham Pride 2024 was ace - and I wanted to make sure our listeners were all over it!
The event itself - held on June 1st - was actually the first time since 2019 that a Pride event had taken place in the the city.
I chatted with a few stallholders at the event - some of the audio was then used in our on-air bulletins.
The article simply outlined why it was so important - and the kind of things that went on in this Pride event - especially as we usually just see stuff online about the larger ones.
The beauty of being there also helped boost our local presence - as I also used the audio I'd collected in my Hits Radio South Yorkshire bulletins the next day - making sure this local event got the attention on-air that it deserved!
Impactful stories of LGBT
icons
Veronica Green
The star, who appeared on RuPaul's Drag Race UK, revealed the news on social media
`After revealing the news of her diagnosis on Instagram and Youtube, I focused on delving deeper into Veronica Green's MS diagnosis - which is why I turned to the charity which offers the best advice and support to people who currently live with the disease.
They clearly welcomed Veronica being so open with her telling the world that she has Multiple Sclerosis, which is something many people in society clearly don't fully understand the symptoms about.
That's exactly why, along with sharing a section of my interview on-air, I wanted to cover her story in more detail on the news pages of our website.
LGBT+ focused news with a much wider impact
National Diversity Awards
I've been shouting about Cornwall Pride in the South West for a long time.
They're an inspirational group of people, with a mission that exemplifies exactly why LGBTQ+ organisations across the country should exist - so their award at the National Diversity Awards really was the cherry on the cake for them.
A number of charities called for the review of compensation set to be handed from the Government to veterans who survived the so-called 'gay ban' which was in place in the UK Armed Forces before the turn of the millennium.
I chatted with a case study, who served in Plymouth, and also represented one of the main organisations calling for the £50 million cap to be reviewed. He formed a major part of my article, and I was able to provide the listener with extra context in my Hits Radio Pride bulletin.
LGBT+ veterans
Transgender footballers
In the weeks following a ruling by the UK's Supreme Court on the definition of a woman in the 2010 Equality Act, a number of sporting governing bodies started to outline their rule changes on who can (and can't) take part in the male or female game.
One momentous decision which made waves up and down the country was the decision by the FA (and earlier that week, the SFA) to exclude those who identified as a transgender female out of the female game - so I got to work asking the important question, 'what does it all mean for the wider community?'
Hits Radio Pride bulletins
Bulletins on Hits Radio Pride are just 60 seconds long - and are broadcast four times a day - so they have to be timely, snappy - and hook the ear of the passive listener.
Below are some recent bulletin compilations!
Eurovision Song Contest
Basel 2025
Liverpool 2023
The task for Eurovision!
With the Eurovision Song Contest being held in Liverpool, I was a part of the digital team turning around content for our website
With Eurovision Fever reaching fever pitch, my task for the day was to make sure we had it covered on our website - with articles covering everything from Mae Muller and the build-up to her performance, all the way to the atmosphere across the city of Liverpool.
Our reporter filed back audio content to us, and it was my job to source from them photos and interviews for me to use on our website - and of course convey the excitement of the event through words!