Georgey Spanswick takes over from Mark Forrest on BBC Local Radio

From a press release to news@media.info
Posted 24 October 2016, 10.50pm edt

Five nights a week with Georgey on BBC Local Radio

• Big change for the evening show on BBC Local Radio
• Friday presenter Georgey Spanswick will front the show throughout the week
• Mark Forrest leaves after four successful years to return to London

Radio presenter Georgey Spanswick is to become the fulltime host of BBC Local Radio’s week night evening show.

Georgey, who currently presents the programme on Fridays, will front it five days a week from February.

She takes over from Mark Forrest, who currently presents the show on Mondays to Thursdays and has decided to move back to London.

Georgey joined the evening show in April 2015. She’s been giving listeners the best of local radio in a fun and laughter-filled start to their weekend ever since. She’ll be building on that approach throughout the rest of the week.

Georgey currently presents the breakfast show on BBC Radio York, which just last week (Wednesday October 19) was named Best Local Breakfast Show at the ARIA awards. She will leave Radio York in the New Year and a new presenter will be announced in due course.

Georgey, who’s also worked for TV-AM, Channel 4 and Yorkshire TV, said: “I’ve loved presenting the Friday evening show for the last year and a bit. So to be able to present the show five nights a week is fantastic.

“My body clock is going to be all over the place because I’m currently up at the crack of dawn. I will actually miss the early starts, the ease of getting into work and that pre-dawn chorus quiet. And, of course, I will miss everyone at Radio York and the listeners.

“But this is a great opportunity to broadcast to the whole of England. I hope to have a good natter with lots of different people and a good laugh with everyone.”

The evening show is broadcast on all 39 BBC Local Radio stations in England every week night between seven pm and ten pm. It launched in 2013.

Mark Forrest is moving on after four successful years with the programme, which is broadcast from the BBC’s Leeds studios.

Mark said: “I'm proud of the show we have produced for the last four years and I'm pleased to be moving on when the audience figures indicate the show is in great shape.”

Mark will present his last evening show on Thursday February 2.

David Holdsworth, the controller of BBC English Regions, said: “I’d like to thank Mark for his hard work and professionalism over the last four years. He has made the evening show an excellent listen. We all wish him well for the future.

“Georgey is one of the brightest talents in local radio – warm, witty and just right for the evening show. I’m sure she’ll prove popular with our listeners.”