The Stage

Merchant to front 6 Music radio show

Published Thursday 30 November 2006 at 13:40 by Liz Thomas

Extras’ star Stephen Merchant will host a new music show on BBC 6 Music in the new year.

The award-winning comedian and writer has been hired by the Corporation to present a Sunday afternoon show from 3-5pm, starting from January 14.

He said: “When I was a teenager I used to run a mobile disco for weddings and birthdays, so DJ-ing is in my blood. The 6 Music show will be all about the music. I love making people listen to the tunes that excite me but obviously if things are not working, I’ll just stick on Come on Eileen.”

Merchant co-created The Office with Ricky Gervais and has won three Baftas but his profile has heightened in the past few years because of the success of Extras, in which he plays a hapless agent.

Lesley Douglas, controller of Radio 2 and 6 Music, added: “Stephen Merchant is a great talent - his wit, warmth and love of music makes him a perfect presenter for 6 Music. I am delighted that he has agreed to join us, I have long admired his work on radio… and, like everyone else, I do, of course, love him in The Office and more recently Extras.”