Award-winning student bags Radio 1 Christmas presenter slot

Matt Hallsworth (pictured above) will take to the nation's airwaves on Sunday 29 December as one of 27 presenters and DJs given the opportunity of a lifetime to test their skillset on one of the UK’s biggest stations.

The 20-year-old, a Freelance Producer for Hits Radio, secured the coveted slot after being crowned winner of the Best Presenter Award at this year’s Student Radio Awards.

Matt will be joined on the station over the festive period by two BA Television and Radio production alumni Cushlá Rice (2021 graduate and presenter for Q Radio and pictured below) & Marlon 'Mars' Camacho (2019 graduate and Assistant Producer at BBC Radio 1 Extra).

The trio follow in the footsteps of Salford alumni Vicky Hawkesworth, Victoria Jane, Evanna Maxted, Ellen Macleod and Priya Matharu to take on a BBC Radio 1 Christmas Presenter slot at the station.

Matt said: “I still can’t get over the news that I’m going to be on BBC Radio 1. To see some of the names that have done a Christmas Presenter slot and what they’ve gone on to do is pretty cool and I’m just excited to give it my best shot and maximise this opportunity.”

He was given the news at the Student Radio Awards when it was revealed to the attendees that the Best Presenter award winner would be handpicked for a slot by Aled Hayden Jones, Radio 1’s Head of Station.

Aled was present at the awards and congratulated Matt in person on his accomplishment.

Matt added: “I had gone over to Aled earlier in the night to thank him for sponsoring an award and he told me that he was giving away a slot that evening but I didn’t expect too much.

“When he went on stage, I was being videoed at the time and you can see me say that it wasn’t going to be me. When he read out my name, I just couldn’t believe it. It was so wild to me in the moment.”

Matt, who is the Head of Shock Radio – one of the University’s two radio stations - also collected a Gold award for Best Chart Show with his on-air partner Issy Brand at the Student Radio Awards, making it a double victory for Matt on the night and their partnership also earned them the title of Best On-Air Team for the second year in a row in the International Student Broadcasting Championship.

Matt said: “[Getting the awards and slot] was a wild week to top off what’s been a crazy year for me. I never felt that presenting was something that I could do because of how saturated the industry is but I’ve now really got to make the most of this."

Cushlá said: "Radio 1 is an absolute dream come true! One of my first jobs when I was 16 was for a local Northern Ireland radio station and over the past decade, I have made it my goal to make radio a full time career.

"After I completed my A-Levels exams, I studied Creative Media Production at Belfast Metropolitan College which cemented my love for radio and broadcasting. I went on to start volunteering at community stations, then found myself moving from Northern Ireland to study a dream degree in TV and Radio Production in MediaCity, Salford.

"I then returned to Northern Ireland to proudly work for Q Radio, one of the biggest commercial stations in the province and now I have secured this opportunity at Radio 1. It feels incredibly surreal but I am so grateful to Q for supporting me throughout this journey and indeed everyone at Radio 1 for this incredible opportunity. Covering Future Pop and supporting upcoming artists aligns perfectly with my ethos. I couldn't have asked for a better show to cover. Roll on December 30!"

You can catch Matt’s BBC Radio 1 debut on Sunday 29 December at 6am on the Early Breakfast Playlist. Cushlá will appear on Radio 1’s Future Pop on Monday 30 December from 6pm and Marlon will present Soundsystem Party on Saturday 28 December from 7pm.