Jo Whiley chats with Trevor Nelson as he marks 30 years at the BBC
As Trevor Nelson celebrates 30 years at the BBC, next week he’ll join Jo Whiley on Radio 2 for a chat to reflect on the milestone in his broadcasting career.
Through music and archive moments, Trevor sits down with Jo on Thursday evening to look back on what joining the BBC meant to him, after the beginning of a career that started outside the mainstream.
His radio journey began on London pirate station Kiss FM, where he was part of the team that helped the station gain its licence to broadcast legally in 1990, a turning point for both Kiss and UK dance and soul radio.
In 1996, Trevor moved to BBC Radio 1 to present the first ever national R&B show, The Rhythm Nation, bringing a sound to the network that had previously been missing from its schedule.
A year later, he went on to launch the first ever national R&B Chart Show on Saturday afternoons, further cementing his role as a trailblazer for the genre on UK radio.
Trevor remained at Radio 1 until 2013, a period that saw him become one of the BBC’s most recognisable music broadcasters, while continuing to champion new artists alongside global stars.
From 2007, he presented the Breakfast Show on the newly launched BBC Radio 1Xtra, helping to define the station’s sound and identity during its early years.
In 2008, Trevor expanded his BBC portfolio again by launching a weekly soul show on BBC Radio 2, while continuing to present programmes across Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra.
During the conversation with Jo Whiley, he reflects on favourite 1XTRA Live Lounge moments, the pressure of live radio, and how close he came to turning down opportunities that later became career-defining.
He also revisits some of the biggest interviews of his career, alongside the strange and wonderful television projects that introduced him to entirely new audiences.
Stories include his most diva day, a memorable trip to Memphis, interviewing Jay-Z in a cupboard, and even making Mariah Carey wait for him on a plane, moments that capture the unpredictable nature of his working life.
In January 2019, Trevor Nelson’s Rhythm Nation launched on Radio 2, airing Monday to Thursday from 10pm – midnight, bringing his long-running brand firmly to the station.
In January 2025, he presented the final Rhythm Nation on Radio 2 and moved to the weekday afternoon show on the station, replacing Scott Mills as he moved to the Radio 2 Breakfast Show.
Trevor Nelson: 30 Years At The BBC can be heard on BBC Radio 2 next Thursday 5 February, 7pm – 9pm.