Radcliffe & Maconie to host Radio Festival

BBC Radio duo Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie are to host this year's Radio Festival, with guest speakers including Dragons' Den star Duncan Bannatyne.

The Radio Academy's three-day festival will run from October 31 to November 2 at The Lowry arts and entertainment centre at Salford Quays, adjacent to the BBC's new MediaCityUK broadcast facilities.

The event will be fronted by Radcliffe and Marconie, who recently started presenting a new show on BBC 6Music from Manchester.

Radcliffe said: "We are delighted to be involved, especially as its in Manchester and, as widely acknowledged radio beefcakes, we look forward to delivering some much needed glamour to proceedings."

Millionaire entrepreneur Bannatyne will deliver a special session at the festival on how to motivate talent at a time when star salaries are under increasing scrutiny.

Radio Academy chief executive John Myers said that a "brilliant lineup" of other speakers for the festival will be revealed "over the coming weeks".

"Speakers this year are coming from all over the world and with the programme of sessions in the pipeline I expect this to be the best yet," he said.

"In addition, I am thrilled the festival will be hosted by two award-winning presenters with a unique style all of their own [who] will ensure the festival is both informative and entertaining."