Radio 1 makes history with first-ever blind and non-binary presenters

Guest presenters to take over show between Boxing Day and New Year's Eve

(YouTube/Lucy Edwards)

BBC Radio 1 has announced that 35 guest presenters will host one-off shows as part of a wider project for the festive season, including one person who is blind and another who identifies as non-binary.

The news marks a major step in terms of diversity for the broadcaster, which has never had an openly non-binary or a blind presenter before.

Jacob Edward, who is a presenter on Gaydio, wrote a blog post describing the presenting gig as a dream of theirs since they were a teenager.

“Life comes at you at full force at that age, add on being LGBT+ and struggling with your mental health,” Edward said, adding that Radio 1 “was there for all that, all the lonely nights and days with no escape”.

In an interview with the BBC, Lucy Edwards, who lost her eyesight at the age of 17, explained that she is “so excited” to represent both the blind and the disabled community.

“I personally think it’s really important to stand up and be out there as a blind person saying, ‘Hey, I am really really proud of my disability’,” she said.

Edwards has a condition called Incontinentia Pigmenti, which hindered her eyesight from a young age. At the age of 11, she lost sight in her right eye and by 17 she had lost sight in her left eye.

The aspiring broadcaster has a YouTube channel and already works as a freelance reporter.

In terms of what advice she would give to other aspiring radio presenters, Edwards said: “always take every opportunity”.

The guest presenters will take over BBC Radio 1 from Boxing Day to New Year’s Eve, with each one being given the unique opportunity to present on the UK’s biggest youth radio station.

Other presenters on the lineup include Jessica Maciel, a tattoo studio owner from Dublin, Dave Holt, a shop manager from Birkenhead, and Stuart Millar, a PhD student and research engineer from Belfast.