By Beth Nugent, Third Year, Film and Television
Radio shows seem to be a thing of the past, by being able to simply connect your phone to your car and listen to music, podcasts or even your own Spotify DJ, the desire for radio has simply fizzled out for the tech-savvy generations. But not for two students, Felix Glanville and Ava Borthwick, who seem to have cracked the code on how to revive this lost media and connect with the younger generation.
Initially, they told me that they’d wanted to enter the space where they both felt most comfortable: a combination of live theatre and film. With Felix being an avid member of performing arts societies such as Music Theatre Bristol and Spotlights it seemed only right to pair up with Theatre and Film student Ava to retreat to their comfort zone and make a live talk show to be aired on UBTV. However, logistics fell through, and the pair were left with a golden idea but with no home. It seemed like the show was over before it began.
However, after ‘never being aware’ of Burst Radio previously, Felix and Ava saw an open space available advertised on the Instagram of BURST radio and instead of being rigid in their idea and seeing it go to its grave, the two re-evaluated and adjusted the format of the show to fit the restrictions of a radio show, and Bristol Talks was born…
‘“we wanted to connect societies and people” in the way that talk shows usually do, getting celebrities from all over campus and breaking out of the bubble people usually stick to.’
Felix, the host of the show, proudly told me that the main basis of ‘the show is really about people’ and that certainly comes across. From splitting up the show into a segmented format, leaving a full 20 minutes for an in-depth interview, listeners can get a great understanding of the guest on the show, who they are, and what they are doing. Felix’s journalistic talents are certainly on display when you listen to any one of the episodes recorded. He has a way of subtly directing the conversation in the way he wants it to go, whilst also giving the guest the space to talk and share anecdotes. Similar to TV talk shows, guests are often on the show to promote upcoming events or their society in general, but it almost never feels preachy or like you're listening to a 20-minute ad. Felix manages to ask the questions about these events or societies that, in themselves, are intriguing enough to pique your interest, without feeling lectured to. He admitted that it’s difficult to adjust to a live audio format where it’s ‘not all chopped, edited and scripted’, and if things go wrong, you just have to roll with it and salvage as much as you can.
Obviously, none of this would happen without the mysterious Ava Borthwick (referred to warmly as Producer Borth), she is the powerhouse producer behind this operation. Ava was giddy to show me the evolution of the Bristol Talks logo, and almost broke her laptop with the speed she whipped it open to show me an example run sheet. It’s because of her passion and incredibly refined organisational skills that this show runs so smoothly. The professionalism that seeps out of her immediately lets anyone within a 10-mile radius know that she is bound for great things. Initially, Producer Borth was behind the scenes only, but the theatre kid in her meant she was destined for a little airtime, and within recent weeks, her voice has been appearing more and more often, and I have to say it’s been a great addition. Both Ava and Felix admitted that that was their favourite part of the show, being able to converse with each other on mic, and rightly so, their chemistry on air is undeniable, and the banter never feels dry.
Ava told me that ‘we wanted to connect societies and people’ in the way that talk shows usually do, getting celebrities from all over campus and breaking out of the bubble people usually stick to. From presidents to directors, the show really covers a lot, and the guests are always entertaining and eloquently spoken. Currently, they are trying to crack the sports world so if you or anyone you know wants to get on air, drop them a DM on Instagram (@bristoltalks_fm)
But what’s next for Bristol Talks? With both creators in their third and final year, it could be said that this show is their Swan Song, but both assured me that the end of their time in Bristol wouldn’t mean the end of Bristol Talks. In fact, plans are being made for a monthly podcast after they leave called ‘Beyond Bristol’, so follow their Instagram for updates on that.
Alice Graham
This show has a little bit of magic sprinkled into it and makes you addicted to the easy dynamic and flow of the conversation. Even during the interview, I found myself laughing and chatting with the pair as easily as they do with their guests on air. Do yourself a favour and tune in this week.
Bristol Talks airs every Wednesday at 3pm and can be found on Spotify as well.
Featured Image: Bristol Talks
What are your favourite Burst radio shows to listen to?
