Helen Thomas

Helen Thomas

Helen Thomas is Head of BBC Radio 2, having previously held the roles of the network's Head of Content Commissioning, and Network Editor.

Growing up in Hull, Helen started her career in News working at BBC 5 Live, The Today Programme on BBC Radio 4 and then Newsbeat at Radio 1 before moving into music programming at BBC World Service, before returning to Radio 4 to produce Front Row.

In 2003 she joined Radio 2 to produce the Johnnie Walker Drivetime Show, subsequently launching the Chris Evans Drivetime Show in 2006 and Breakfast Show in 2010, when Chris took over from Sir Terry Wogan.

Helen led the first ever BBC Music Pop Up digital radio station (Radio 2 Eurovision) and has also brokered major partnerships with the likes of the RHS, The Space and Art Fund. Helen was Creative Director of the Radio Academy's Radio Festival in 2016 and was granted fellowship of the Radio Academy in 2017. She is a founder member of the Young Audio Awards (formerly Young ARIAS) steering committee. In 2018, she was nominated as Individual Of The Year at the Arias and she was listed in the Music Week Women in Music Roll of Honour in 2020.