New Show For Russell Brand

Russell Brand, "the most exciting comedian of his generation", is to move from BBC 6 Music to present a new weekly show for BBC Radio 2. The two-hour show will be broadcast between 9pm and 11pm on Saturday nights, starting on 18 November 2006.

Highlights of Russell's new show will be made available for download and podcast each week via the Radio 2 website - bbc.co.uk/radio2.

Russell will also be writing a weekly blog for the network. Russell says: "I had a brilliant time on 6 Music and I now can't wait for the challenge of Radio 2.

"I am honoured to serve an apprenticeship under the tutelage of broadcast wisdom such as Ross, Wogan and Evans. It is the Hogwarts of radio. I just hope I can keep my wand up."

Lesley Douglas, Controller, Radio 2 and 6 Music, says: "I'm sure Russell's new show will become a 'must listen' for Saturday nights.

"Russell established himself as a genuine radio talent on 6 Music and has done a brilliant job there. Radio 2 gives him a fresh challenge, and a new audience.

"He proved a hit with Radio 2 listeners when he stood in for Mark Radcliffe earlier this year."

Russell currently presents a live three-hour show for 6 Music on Sunday mornings. The show made an immediate impact with the audience, receiving 140,000 downloads in September - making it the only programme from a digital station to appear in the BBC's Top Ten podcasts.

Russell is also working on a new comedy for Radio 2 which will be broadcast in 2007. Russell has been voted best stand-up by Time Out magazine, who described him as "the most exciting comedian of his generation".

His TV credits include Big Brother's Big Mouth and E4's comedy series, Russell Brand's Got Issues.

Brand has fronted critically acclaimed one-man shows at the Edinburgh Festival for the past three years, hosted the 2006 NME Awards and is this year's GQ’s Most Stylish Man Of The Year.

Russell was also crowned Funniest Man at the Loaded Laftas Comedy Awards.

bbc.co.uk/radio2