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BBC News Online: Entertainment

Monday, 13 March, 2000, 09:04 GMT

End of the Roadshow for Radio 1

BBC Radio 1 is bringing down the curtain on its summer roadshows and replacing them with a series of one-day pop festivals in cities around the UK.

The roadshow enjoyed three decades of live broadcasts from beach resorts around the UK. Chris Moyles

Now it is being replaced by a new series of events, called One Big Sunday events. Beginning next month in Bristol, each one-day show will feature eight acts performing live.

The summer roadshows had a low-key start in 1973 when the station took a caravan with a couple of record decks around the UK.

But within a couple of years thousands would also make day-trips to coastal venues across the UK to see the station's DJs and major pop acts of the day. Some holiday-makers even planned their breaks around the roadshow timetable.

One Big Sunday

30 April: The Downs, Bristol
28 May: Callendar House, Falkirk
23 July: Beach Park, Irvine
30 July: Queen's Park, Bolton
6 August: Stewart Park, Middlesbrough
13 August: Kings Park, Bournemouth
20 August: The Hoe, Plymouth

A Radio 1 spokeswoman said: "The roadshows were great but we're moving on.

"With the new shows we will actually have more hours broadcasting on the road and be visiting almost as many places.

"We've done a similar coastal route for more than 20 years. This gives us an opportunity to visit bigger venues and town and cities that we haven't been to before."

The One Big Sunday events will be held in city centre parks on a much larger stage than the old roadshows, together with huge video screens.

The first, on 30 April, will be presented by Jamie Theakston and new Breakfast Show host Sara Cox.

A new weekly series, Chris Moyles On The Road, will also take the radio station to 20 towns and cities in the coming months.

Jeff Smith, head of Radio 1 music policy, said: "One Big Sunday and Moyles On The Road will reflect the best in all pop music styles with appeal to the widest possible young audience.

"As new additions to another Radio 1 summer of live music, they will make exciting and unique radio programmes."

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