‘My 16-year-old self wouldn’t believe it’ – newsreader Ros Atkins prepares for Glasto

BBC newsreader Ros Atkins is preparing to swap the studio for the stage ahead of his Glastonbury Festival debut this week.

Mr Atkins, who is best known for his ‘explainer-in-chief’ videos and role at BBC Verify, will perform a DJ set at Stonebridge at 3.30pm on Saturday.

He started to DJ in the 1990s when, as a teenager living in Cornwall, he started going to raves and listening to hardcore drum and bass.

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Through his 20s, he DJed in London, Cornwall, Cambridge and South Africa, but he stopped in 2006 when his eldest daughter was born.

Two years ago, he was asked by BBC 6 Music if he would like to return to the decks after he discussed his DJing past in an interview with the Observer.

In May, he announced his Glastonbury set on X (formerly Twitter) and has today previewed it in the Glastonbury Free Press, a newspaper printed at Worthy Farm.

Mr Atkins wrote: “I was an enthusiastic amateur then, just as I am now. There's one difference, though. Back then I was DJing in people's rooms or at student parties.

“Now, in a development I still haven't got used to, I'm getting ready to DJ drum 'n' bass at Glastonbury.

“What started with an invitation from 6 Music to do a set two years ago was followed by a number of other unlikely events (including a lesson from drum 'n' bass legend Ray Keith), and then led to me getting an invite to play the festival earlier this year.

“I had to check that Carl from the Stonebridge Bar was serious.

“I can't wait to give it a go. Equally, I can't wait to see Andy C, LTJ Bukem, Randall, Nia Archives and all the other big names playing.

“I might be DJing, but first and foremost, I’m a fan of all those other DJs and the music they play.

“My 16-year-old self wouldn't believe what I've ended up doing all of 33 years later.”

Earlier this week, he teased a remix of the BBC News theme song to his 394,000 followers on X ahead of his set.

The Stonebridge stage will also be played by former Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac, Blumitsu, Eats Everything and actor and performer Idris Elba this year.

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