A RADIO show on BBC Radio 1 that supports new, unsigned, underground and ‘under-the-radar’ music from Scotland has appointed a new host.
The Scotland Show – which will move from midnight to 2am on Thursdays to midnight to 2am on Mondays – has taken on Ally McCrae, taking over from Vic Galloway.
There are similar ‘nation shows’ for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. According to a BBC media release, Ally McCrae, 23, graduated from Stirling University last year, and points out: “He [McCrae] managed the university’s radio station and his local music credentials also include a music blog with an attached live music night which has become the talk of Scotland’s music scene.”
McCrae is quoted as saying: “I’m beyond excited to be joining Radio 1 and taking the reins of a show that is so vital in promoting the vast amount of cracking Scottish music being produced from this wee country. It’s an honour. I can only hope to bring as much energy, passion and quality as the man himself, Vic Galloway, has done – the legend.”
Ben Cooper, the Radio 1 deputy controller, is quoted, saying: “The BBC Trust asked us to appeal to the next generation of young audiences, and within that to look for the next generation of new talent – and Ally is just that.”
Oman-born but Scotland-educated Galloway, who lives in Edinburgh, also currently presents BBC Radio Scotland’s ‘Air’ programme on Mondays from 8-10pm. He had presented the Nations Show from Scotland on Radio 1 for ten years.
He has presented two series of ‘Mouthing Off’ and ‘Vic and Bryan’s Big Scottish Adventure’; various documentary series, including ‘Indie-pendent Scotland’ and ‘The Banned History of Rock’n’Roll’; and outside broadcasts, from ‘T in the Park’, ‘SXSW’, ‘Indian Summer’ and ‘Live 8′, all for BBC Radio Scotland.
His forays into TV include BBC 1 and BBC 2’s ‘T in the Park’ coverage and ‘The Music Show’ on BBC 2.
As a freelance journalist, he does occasional work for broadsheet papers, magazines and websites, including writing a column for The List magazine.
