Award-winning journalist and broadcaster Gordon Smart is set to join BBC 5 Live with a brand new Sunday evening show which will broadcast from Glasgow.
The new show which launches on Sunday 16 July, will take over the 5 Live airwaves every Sunday from 8pm – 10pm. Gordon will give an insiders take on the biggest news and sport stories of the week, along with exclusive interviews with movers and shakers from the world of showbiz and entertainment.
During the two-hour slot, Gordon will also delve deeper into the headlines shaping our lives with the show’s resident psychotherapist, Owen O’Kane. Dr O’Kane will offer help to 5 Live listeners on the things that trigger ‘The Fear’ about the week ahead.
The brand new show is a big move for Gordon, whose life looked very different a few years ago. In 2020, a serious health condition resulted in him losing his voice, and subsequently his broadcasting career.
Gordon said: “Like so many people in the country, the last few years have been turbulent. At times I’ve considered re-training to do something else or find an entirely different life and career.
Everything changed for me in a short space of time – but it also showed me what really matters in life. I’ve got a genuine understanding of some of the challenges people are facing, which have hopefully served me well on air.
I love all things news, sport and entertainment, so this new show caters to what I love most in journalism. I’m really looking forward to getting stuck in and making this show the best start for the week ahead.”
Controller of BBC Radio 5 Live Heidi Dawson says: “Gordon has been a brilliant addition to the 5 Live presenting team this year, making an instant connection with our listeners. BBC Radio 5 Live is the voice of the UK and we are so proud to be bringing Gordon’s new show from Glasgow. Gordon will bring his sharp journalistic instincts alongside his passion for sport and entertainment to make this show a must listen every Sunday night.”
The Gordon Smart Show is an important part of the BBC’s Across the UK strategy, bringing the corporation closer to audiences to better reflect, represent and serve all parts of the UK. By 2027/28 the BBC will be spending at the very least, an extra £700m cumulatively across the UK – generating an additional economic benefit of over £850 million. This will not only dramatically increase opportunities for jobs and training but improve representation on and off screen.
Gordon Smart’s new show launches on Saturday 16 July from 8pm-10pm.
Source
BBC Radio 5 Live
