DMU grad takes over BBC Radio 1 airwaves this Christmas


De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) alumnus Rakeem Omar beat thousands of hopefuls to become one of 33 guest presenters taking over BBC Radio 1’s festive programming.

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The UK’s biggest youth radio station is showcasing the best in new and emerging talent by giving the selected DJs and presenters a valuable opportunity to broadcast on its airwaves from Boxing Day until New Year’s Day.

Rakeem, who is presenting Radio 1 Anthems on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 December between midday and 4pm, said: “This is such a surreal experience. I always dreamt of having this opportunity but I never knew it would actually happen - especially not like this with two shows!

“I’ll be playing the biggest tunes and throwbacks over the holidays and I just plan to fill everyone listening with positivity over the weekend. If I've made one listener smile it feels like to me I've done my job, especially after this year of tragedy that we've had.”

For the 28-year-old from Birmingham, the opportunity has come about less than two years after he graduated from DMU’s Investigative Journalism MA, which he left a career in banking to pursue.

Rakeem started out on Birmingham community station New Style Radio before landing his own weekly show on BBC Radio West Midlands last year, interviewing big music guests and hosting discussions on everything from cyber dating to anti-crime activism.

“Part of being a presenter is sitting behind the mic and being myself. If you can be yourself and do a job you love at the same time, isn't that the point of it all?” he said.

“There is a lot of planning that goes into radio shows that people don’t realise though. Including coming up with ideas, doing vox pops out in the street, getting guests, doing pre-recorded interview segments, liaising with artists and editing audio.”

Since graduating, Rakeem has also worked with DMU alumna Chanell Wallace on her BBC Three documentary exploring the effects of knife crime, as well as other documentaries for BBC One and Channel 4.

In addition, he works as a community journalist with the Birmingham Mail, exploring issues that affect the city's young people and ethnic minorities.

Rakeem’s tireless work was recently recognised with the Reporting Communities Award in the Regional Press Awards 2019, hosted by the Society Of Editors.

He said: “DMU’s Investigative Journalism MA with Channel 4 has been a major part of my life. Whether it’s helped me working in television or to investigate stories in the press, I’ve really walked away from DMU with something that has honestly changed my life.”

Rakeem’s advice to anyone wanting to follow in his footsteps is simple: “Starting out in the industry can be really tough, but I’m glad that I kept my head up and stuck to everything I believed that I could do.

“I hope that any current or prospective DMU student does the same. Don't give up on yourself."

Posted on Friday 18 December 2020

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