Katie Thistleton

In July 2022, Katie was announced as host of Radio 1’s weekend show (Friday and Saturday, 10.30am – 1pm) which will broadcast from Salford.

After becoming a firm favourite, Katie can also be seen (and heard!) at Radio 1’s Big Weekend and Radio 1’s Teen Awards and regularly deputises for other DJs.

In addition, Katie hosted the weekly ‘Life Hacks’ podcast with the show’s resident Doctor, Radha for BBC Sounds. As a proud Mancunian and radio enthusiast, Katie also regularly covers the breakfast show on BBC Radio Manchester as well as the mid-morning and lunchtime shows, further demonstrating her radio skills hosting phone-ins on topics ranging from hard-hitting political debates to more light-hearted chatties, and interviewing MP’s, celebrities and local people.

Katie is passionate about mental health awareness, she is an ambassador for charities Place2be and YoungMinds and is currently training to be a counsellor. Katie has also written for Psychologies Magazine about issues regularly faced by twenty-somethings.

Katie has appeared on The One Show, Morning Live and This Morning, hosting a film for the former about the lasting mental health affects of the Manchester Arena attack on young victims, and appearing on the sofa to offer advice. Katie has been an ‘agony aunt’ on This Morning’s sofa alongside Ruth and Eamonn offering advice to young students receiving exam results.

In May 2021, Katie hosted the audio documentary series Manchester Arena Bomb: Stories of Hope for BBC Sounds. The series saw Katie finding stories of courage, hope and healing as fans, families and those affected by the atrocity rebuild their future four years on.

During lockdown in 2020 when schools were closed, Katie was chosen to be the main presenter fronting the Bitesize Daily TV shows for secondary school students, linking between educational content and interviewing teachers. The shows received record-breaking viewing figures.

Building on her ‘agony aunt’ experience, Katie’s debut book ‘Dear Katie: Real Problems, Real Advice’ was released in February 2018 and offers warm yet honest advice on the multitude of struggles the UK’s children are facing. Katie is currently writing her second book.

Since 2022, Katie has been a firm favourite of the Morning Live team alongside Gethin Jones.

A keen book worm herself, Katie also founded and hosted her own show ‘The CBBC Book Club’ for five years and regularly hosts and judges for book events such as the BBC Young Writers Award, The Lollies for Scholastic and David Walliams’ publication events, amongst many more.

Considered by many as a safe pair of hands with a calm and engaging presenting style, Katie has hosted a variety of live shows including Hacker’s Birthday Bash, a celebration of 30 years of Children’s BBC, Hacker’s Crackers, Shout Out Saturday and Junior Bake Off: The After Party, as well as CBBC coverage of large events such as Wimbledon and Live from Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Other credits include Celebrity Mastermind, Celebrity Eggheads, BBC Radio 2, Children in Need, BBC 5Live and BBC Breakfast, where Katie has appeared to talk about children’s mental health and sex education.