The BBC Radio 2 breakfast show gained listeners during Sara Cox's first months as permanent host, with an average of 6.44 million weekly listeners from July to September, up from 6.37 million in the previous quarter.
Cox took over as permanent presenter on July 6, replacing Scott Mills, who was sacked by the BBC at the end of March. Mills's dismissal came shortly before it emerged that the Metropolitan Police had launched an investigation into the DJ over allegations of serious sexual offences involving a teenage boy under 16 between 1997 and 2000. Gary Davies filled in as host in April, May and June.
Radio 2 remains most-listened station
According to the latest data from research organisation Rajar, the Radio 2 breakfast show continues to be the most popular radio programme broadcast in the UK at that time of day. Radio 2 also remains the most listened-to station in the country, with a total average weekly audience of 12.67 million in July to September, up slightly from 12.37 million in the previous three months.
In contrast, Radio 4's Today programme saw its audience fall from 5.61 million in April-June to 5.29 million in July-September, the lowest quarterly figure since Rajar resumed reporting data in 2021 after the Covid-19 pandemic.
5 Live breakfast and digital stations
The 5 Live breakfast show enjoyed a jump in listeners from 1.33 million to 1.43 million, a period coinciding with the closing weeks of the 2026 World Cup.
Two of the BBC's three new digital spin-off stations also saw an increase in their weekly audience. Radio 1 Anthems rose from 584,000 to 630,000 listeners and Radio 1 Dance climbed from 615,000 to 645,000, while Radio 3 Unwind slipped from 408,000 to 382,000. All three stations have been available on digital radio since September 2025.
BBC chief content officer reaction
Kate Philips, BBC chief content officer, said she was “delighted” for Cox and the Radio 2 breakfast team, adding: “These results underline the strength of BBC radio, which continues to bring audiences together through outstanding live events, trusted journalism and world-class music.”
She said: “Audiences spent 423 million hours with radio, podcasts and music on BBC Sounds, demonstrating the continued value of our content across live and on-demand listening.” She added that it had been “a hugely successful summer across our networks”.
Radio 3 saw a small increase in its audience in the latest Rajar figures, up from 1.88 million in April-June to 1.96 million in July-September. There were 1.41 million weekly listeners to Radio 4 Extra, down very slightly from 1.43 million. The BBC recently announced that Radio 4 Extra will close next year as part of the corporation's ongoing plan to make savings of £500 million by 2028.
