Ros Atkins, 48, grew up in Stithians, Cornwall, studying historical past at Jesus Faculty, Cambridge, earlier than turning into one of many BBC’s brightest new stars. Holding posts at BBC Radio 5 Dwell, the World Service and Exterior Supply, he has additionally pursued his ardour for music, organising the membership evening Sharp in Brixton, in addition to DJing at occasions akin to Womad. Recognized for his sharp viral “explainer” movies – crunching advanced information tales into quick, shareable clips – his new present On the Week is offered to stream.
I used to be actually nervous when this {photograph} was taken, and it’s clear that I’m concentrating. The gig was a pageant in Regent’s Park organised by Harmless Drinks, and I hadn’t fairly realised what I’d been signed up for. The man who was operating the present had been obscure and stated: “I’d such as you to do one thing, I’ll let you realize a bit extra about it nearer the time.” So I used to be massively shocked a couple of weeks earlier than the occasion once I noticed the operating order. Hedkandi – an enormous home music title – was on earlier than me and I believed: “Blimey, I’m barely out of my depth.”
Once I bought there, the room was manner larger than I anticipated. It was intimidating. My fingers have been shaking and I actually didn’t wish to stick out amongst all these heavyweight DJs. Most of all, I keep in mind a girl who beckoned me over after my set and stated: “That was disgusting!” and walked off. Which was simply her manner of claiming, “That was nice.”
Fairly a couple of strands of my life run via this picture – notably that T-shirt. Within the early Eighties, my dad’s job as a mackerel fisher meant that he bought approached to work with the Meals and Agriculture Group of the United Nations, which took us to wonderful locations akin to Trinidad. It’s the place I first heard calypso and soca, and I grew to become hooked on the music. In 2004, I purchased tickets to see [soca star] Machel Montano at Kentish City Discussion board, an evening I’ll keep in mind for ever, because it turned out to be the place I proposed to my spouse, Sara. Happily she stated sure, so I purchased a Machel Montano T-shirt on the gig, and we bought married the subsequent yr.
On the Regent’s Park occasion, I made a decision to put on that very same T-shirt. I didn’t realize it on the time, nevertheless it was the final time I might DJ for 16 years as my eldest daughter was born eight days after the gig. Naturally, my priorities rapidly modified, and I finished having as a lot time to exit because it was all fingers on deck at dwelling. In spite of everything, I used to be simply an enthusiastic beginner DJ, so life moved on and I finished chasing it.
I began DJing at college in 1995, however I had already fallen in love with dance music a couple of years earlier than that. Once I went to sixth kind in 1991, certainly one of my associates, whose older brother was placing on events, began to inform us about these occasions occurring in Cornwall, a spot which had an exhilarating scene within the Eighties and 90s. Till this level, I had been a lower than adventurous 16‑yr‑outdated, however my buddy was speaking as if he’d been transformed, and I used to be very eager to search out out extra.
From that second on, my associates and I began buying and selling cassettes and amassing flyers from events in Plymouth, Exeter and the Shire Horse pub in St Ives. I nonetheless remorse not going to the Fantazia One Step Beyond rave in Bournemouth in 1992, which has gone down as one of many massive moments of that point. I don’t know why I didn’t go, however possibly I felt I had an excessive amount of homework.
The work and celebration steadiness has been one thing I’ve all the time taken significantly. I used to be fairly smitten by going out within the 90s, however I additionally performed a variety of sports activities, and I did theatre and performed the keyboards in a jazz funk band once I was within the sixth kind. These a number of passions continued at Cambridge – but when I felt as if I used to be going out an excessive amount of and it was interfering with work, then I would wish to dial some stuff down. That was my rule of thumb: by all means pursue completely different pursuits, together with staying up and dancing, but when it begins compromising my capacity to review, I’ll should keep watch over it.
I began at 5 Dwell once I was 27, in 2001. As a scholar I used to be a really heavy listener – I’d put the radio on after an evening out often. And once I was unemployed for a stretch, aged 24, I used to be listening to Nicky Campbell rather a lot. He was a extremely massive a part of protecting me energised about being a journalist, throughout a time by which I used to be struggling to change into one. Once I ultimately set to work at 5 Dwell, I arrived all ears and by no means skilled impostor syndrome, as I felt as if I knew the place so effectively already. I managed to juggle my extracurricular ardour as a DJ on the weekends, too. My colleagues on the BBC knew I ran an evening in Brixton, nevertheless it by no means actually bought in the way in which of my profession. No one I labored with thought I used to be cool, not least as a result of I’m not cool.
Earlier this yr, I used to be requested by a producer at 6 Music to do a half‑hour drum’n’bass set for the station. I used to be actually amazed to be given the chance, however what was extra surreal was that it went viral. It’s nonetheless probably the most downloaded reveals of the yr. Fairly a couple of of my drum’n’bass heroes messaged to say that they had loved the set. Specifically, the legend Ray Keith bought in contact, one of many individuals who created the style. He stated: “Look, when you’re going to get again into DJing, give me a shout.”
Since then, Ray has been guiding me, serving to me change into a greater DJ. I purchased some equipment, began shopping for a variety of music, and actually put within the hours in my front room, which was met with a blended response from the remainder of my household. What was wonderful is that Ray and I additionally bought booked for a gig at [central London venue] the Social. Most individuals have been there as a result of Ray was on the invoice, however once in a while when he was DJing and I used to be dancing, somebody would come as much as me and say: “I simply needed to say I really like the explainers that you simply and your workforce do.” The expertise was a stunning but unusual hybrid of dance and information, which have been my life’s two best passions.
As for the longer term, I don’t know if I’ll put on a hi-vis jacket once more, but when I may organize the childcare I’d want no persuading in any respect to exit dancing. I nonetheless love doing it once I get the prospect. However in fact, as anybody is aware of from going out late, it’s in regards to the time that it takes – the buildup and the fallout if you’re exhausted afterwards – which makes the family-life steadiness tough.
Now everybody has telephones, I do surprise how would this look? A BBC journalist at a rave. However the fact is that I’m going to look sweaty, I received’t look how I do on the TV with the make-up and lights, however I’m dancing to music and that’s OK. There will likely be no drug scandal, as a result of I’m not doing medication. I’m simply out having a great time, doing what I’ve all the time liked.
