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Jo Whiley to present BBC Radio 2 show from Preston

BBC Jo Whiley smiling broadly in front of a bright orange backgroundBBC
Whiley will be presenting her show in front of a small audience of BBC Radio 2 listeners

Jo Whiley is to present her evening show live from a music venue in Preston as part of Radio 2 in the Park 2024.

The event takes place in Moor Park from 6-8 September featuring headliners The Pet Shop Boys and Sting.

Whiley will present her show from 19:00 - 21:00 BST in front of a small audience of listeners at The Ferret – an independent music venue in the heart of Lancashire's music scene.

The show will showcase three local bands who have been hand-picked from BBC Introducing's roster of artists to perform live.

EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock Close up of Sting playing the guitar on stage EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
The event takes place in Preston's Moor Park with headliners The Pet Shop Boys and Sting

The programme will also be simulcast on BBC Radio Lancashire with their BBC Introducing presenter, William Wolstenholme, co-hosting.

BBC Introducing supports unsigned, undiscovered and under the radar musical talent across the UK.

During the show, one of the artists will be revealed as Whiley's first ever Spotlight BBC Introducing Act in a new segment launching that night.

Across the year, she will be shining a light on BBC Introducing artists from around the UK, playing their tracks to introduce them to BBC Radio 2 listeners.

The artists performing at the Ferret, on Fylde Road, are:

  • Bryony Jarman-Pinto, a Lancashire-based singer songwriter who fuses jazz, soul, and folk elements
  • Electronic-pop trio LOWES from Lancaster – and made up of Preston-born vocalist Evie Plumb, and multi-instrumentalists Luke Paget and Jamie Walker
  • Blackpool indie-boyband VALA, who previously headlined shows at Manchester's Deaf Institute and YES Pink Room, and will begin their first UK tour this September

A small audience have the chance to be there by registering for the ticket ballot on the BBC Radio 2 in the Park website.

Whiley said she was "super excited to get the party started".

"The city has a vibrant music scene, with outstanding local talent," she said. "I can't wait for our listeners to hear our showcase of the region's best new musicians."

The BBC Radio 2 in the Park festival will also see performances from the Manic Street Preachers, Sugababes, Craig David, Snow Patrol, Travis and Sister Sledge.

For the first time, the festival will span three days, opening with a Friday night "pre-party" featuring DJ sets from BBC Radio 2 presenters like Sara Cox and Vernon Kay.

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