BBC Three Counties Radio

For the national radio station, see BBC Radio 3.

BBC Three Counties Radio is the BBC's local radio station serving the counties of Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

BBC Three Counties Radio

Dunstable
Broadcast area	Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire
Frequency	FM: 90.4 MHz (Welwyn Garden City, Hertford and Stevenage) FM: 92.1 MHz (Hemel Hempstead, Watford and St Albans) FM: 94.7 MHz (Aylesbury) FM: 95.5 MHz (Bedford and Hitchin) FM: 98.0 MHz (High Wycombe) FM: 103.8 MHz (Luton and Dunstable) FM: 104.5 MHz (Milton Keynes and Buckingham) DAB: 10D Freeview: 712
RDS	BBC 3CR
Programming
Language	English
Format	Local news, talk and music
Ownership
Owner	BBC Local Radio, BBC East, BBC London, BBC South
History
First air date	24 June 1985 (1985-06-24)
Former names	BBC Radio Bedfordshire (1985–1993)
Technical information
Licensing authority	Ofcom
Links
Website	www.bbc.co.uk/threecountiesradio

It broadcasts on FM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios at Grove Park in Dunstable.

According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly audience of 125,000 listeners and a 5.8% share as of December 2023.^[1]

History

BBC Radio Bedfordshire (1985–1993)

Radio Bedfordshire logo

The station launched as "Radio Bedfordshire" on 24 June 1985, serving the whole of Bedfordshire plus (despite the name) North Buckinghamshire and the northern parts of Hertfordshire. Therefore Bedford, Luton, Dunstable, Milton Keynes, Knebworth, Berkhamsted, Tring, Harpenden, Leighton Buzzard, Aylesbury, Hemel Hempstead, St Albans, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Letchworth Garden City, Stevenage and Hitchin were served by the new station. In 1992, the station became known as "BBC Radio Bedfordshire with Herts and Bucks".

BBC Three Counties Radio (1993–present)

The station changed to its present name on 5 April 1993. The new name was intended to reflect the wider reach across the three counties and to give equal service to all. The editorial area was not, at that point, expanded but enhanced studio facilities and staff were devoted to Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.

New transmitters at Epping Green and Bedmond extended the coverage area to Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield and west Hertfordshire in late 2005.^{[citation needed]}

BBC Three Counties Radio became available on DAB radio on 14 February 2013. In June 2015, the station moved from its Luton base to new studios in Dunstable.

In 2025, the station celebrated the 40th anniversary of its launch on 24 June 1985.

Programming

Local programming is produced and broadcast from the BBC's Dunstable studios from 6 am to 2 pm weekdays. Weekdays from 2 pm to 10 pm are BBC East regional programming. Saturday 6 am to 10 pm BBC East shared programming. Sundays 6 am to 6 pm BBC East regional shared programming. Many of the regional shows are broadcast from the studios of Three Counties Radio. All other times such as late and overnight programming is England-wide shared programming.

Presenters

Notable current presenters

• Andy Collins (weekday breakfast)

Notable past presenters

• Nana Akua^[2]
• Jon Gaunt
• Tony Hadley
• Nick Lawrence (former Breakfast Show presenter, ex-Chiltern FM)
• John Radford
• Stephen Rhodes (former breakfast / consumer show presenter)
• Dave Lee Travis (former Sunday morning presenter)