Radio 1’s Newsbeat receives Royal visit to mark World Mental Health Day

Their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Wales were at BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat yesterday for a discussion about youth mental health.

The broadcaster hosted the royal couple at London’s New Broadcasting House to take part in the special episode on World Mental Health Day. The Prince and Princess of Wales were leading a discussion with campaigners and experts in the field of mental health.

They were last at Radio 1 in April 2017, when they paid a surprise visit to Adele Roberts who was running the marathon in aid of Heads Together, the mental health campaign led by Their Royal Highnesses, encouraging people to feel comfortable to speak openly about their mental health.

Aled Haydn Jones, Head of BBC Radio 1, says: “It’s been fantastic to welcome The Prince and Princess of Wales back to our studios to discuss something that is so close to both their and our audience’s hearts. What was discussed today will resonate with so many of our listeners and it means so much to us that we can all work together to help tackle the stigma around this issue.”

Danielle Dwyer, Editor of BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat, says: “We know mental health is really important to our listeners and we also know that when they’re struggling, they often turn to their friends.

“Newsbeat isn’t just about delivering the news – we’re here to be a friend too, and a place our listeners can find support and advice when they need it.

“Talking about mental wellbeing without stigma or judgment is so key and it’s brilliant to welcome the Prince and Princess of Wales to our reporting team for the day, to join us in such a vital conversation.”

Pria Rai, BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat presenter, says: “Let’s be honest, the news can be a heavy place. It’s felt like one ‘unprecedented’ thing after another. Be it Covid, the cost-of-living crisis or exam stresses, it can take a toll on your mental health.

“Newsbeat always wants to just let our listeners know, it’s okay – you’re not the only one feeling like that. People not only switch us on to get the news, but to share openly and frankly how they are feeling. That’s humbling; to be a trusted part of people’s lives enough that they can send us a text about feeling lonely or having lost a loved one.

“We have total strangers speaking to each other on the radio who soon feel like familiar friends and that’s a really important, uplifting part of what we do.”

You can hear the discussion on Radio 1 today at 12.45pm and 5.45pm and on BBC Sounds.