It’s always been my dream to broadcast on the BBC, says Stephen Clements as he steps into Sean Coyle’s slot on Radio Ulster
STEPHEN Clements is joining BBC Radio Ulster as part of its new weekday schedule, taking over Sean Coyle’s old slot.
The 46-year-old, already known to many from his time with Q Radio, will make his debut next Monday.
For eight years, alongside Cate Conway, Stephen woke Northern Ireland up with a laugh on Q Radio.
And the BBC has promised his new weekday programme — The Stephen Clements Show — will see him “bring his unique sense of fun and chat to the 10.30am to 12pm slot, playing a range of music and interacting with listeners”.
Stephen, who lives in Carrickfergus with his wife Natasha and their two children, Poppy and Robbie, said he can’t wait to enjoy the same fun and laughs with BBC listeners.
“I’m absolutely thrilled and excited to be given this opportunity with the BBC,” he said.
“It has always been my dream to broadcast on the most respected, most creative media platform on the planet.
“I am looking forward to sharing some fun and lots of laughs with the amazing people of Northern Ireland.”
Stephen, a former beer salesman, left that career at 37 to go and work for Q Radio in 2011, after impressing them with a demo tape of his proposed radio format — influenced by the likes of Chris Moyles and Chris Evans.
An author, sometime parody rapper — his rap with Jamie Dornan received global media attention — with a degree in geography, Stephen studied Town Planning in the Netherlands, and has also lived in South Korea teaching English. He cites Terry Wogan, Gerry Anderson, Stephen Nolan, Moyles and Evans as his radio heroes.
Stephen’s Q Radio breakfast show had a legion of listeners, including First Minister Arlene Foster, who once phoned in as ‘Arlene from Fermanagh’, and the BBC’s Stephen Nolan.
He hosted his last Q show back in June, shocking listeners by making the announcement on air.
Over the summer the presenter — who wrote the jaunty, typically hilarious memoir Back In Our Day in 2017 — began working with BBC NI as part of their coverage of the Open Golf Championship at Royal Portrush.
His new show will be broadcast on Radio Ulster, while Sean Coyle will make a return to the airwaves on Radio Foyle, but only until spring of next year.
News of
Coyle’s show being cancelled was met with a massive fan backlash and an online petition urging the BBC to reinstate him which garnered over 7,000 signatures.
Sean told the Belfast Telegraph at the time that he had been “overwhelmed by the response from listeners” asking him to return to the airwaves.
“So as a way of thanking them for their support, I’m going to be playing mine and their favourite songs on BBC Radio Foyle,” he said in a statement last week.
“We’ll be able to say a bit more about it soon and I hope that people will listen in and be part of it all.”
Yesterday Stephen said that he was “beyond proud, grateful and excited” about the new role and a whole host of famous faces queued up to wish him well. Among them was Nolan, whose show he will follow.
He welcomed Clements to the team on Twitter, writing: “Stephen Clements is the most exciting talent to come into Radio Ulster in a long time.
“I’ve listened to him for years. He is pure class”.
This Morning presenter Eamonn Holmes told him he was “very proud for you Stephen” and rugby star Tommy Bowe sent his warm wishes via social media saying: “Congrats big guy!”
Emma Dunseith, executive editor, Arts, Music and Learning NI, said: “Stephen is a great broadcasting talent and we’re looking forward to welcoming him to the BBC Radio Ulster team.
“We’re excited to hear what he will bring to the station and we’re sure his show will be a great addition to the weekday schedule and reflect his bright and vibrant personality,” she added.