Live on the Radio

Natalie Bristowe and Kiki Hopkins are the two latest recruits to join Brookes Radio


These two third year students describe their show as ridiculous, stupid and over-enthusiastic. So, let’s see what all the fuss is about…

When I met up with them earlier this week, the girls admitted to me that they would love to make it as TV presenters. After performing a comical dance dressed as Playboy bunnies at a family party, Nat’s parents decided they had to be on TV. But, they’re testing the waters and using student radio as a stepping stone into the industry.

From 5-6pm on Monday nights, the endless storytelling, chatter and shout-outs to friends make an enjoyable break from my dissertation and it’s easy to laugh along with the banter. The girls are certainly not shy of hiding anything from their listeners. There were stories about Nat locking herself out of her room with a candle burning inside, (leading to a sleepless night and £45 call out charge for the locksmith), discussion of the best chat up lines, and a tremendous rap battle.

Explaining that Nat can be ‘quite weird’ and Kiki is the ‘more practical one’, they see parallels between their own friendship and that of Paul Rudd and Jason Segel in I Love You, Man. This led on to them saying that they want to have the actors as guests on their show. You never know, when the girls are the next female Ant & Dec, their wish might come true.

So far their guests have included two members of the Oxford rowing team, Conor Hickey, Charlie Hughes and Harry Legge, who gave acoustic performances live in the studio. Covering the worlds of sport and music, it seems that we can predict a wide variety of guests in the future.

Selfie time with Ollie & Mike from the rowing team.

The great thing about Brookes Radio is that it is virtually interactive. I was able to watch the action going on in the studio up the hill in Headington, whilst lounging about in my room at home. I might start to request virtual high fives, or demand a thumbs up, but that might be taking things a step too far. I could even wave directly to the presenters through the window of the Brookes Radio studio on the Headington Hill campus. I’m sure Nat and Kiki would let me in to join in with the ‘crazyness’ and the jokes that they think ‘only Nat finds funny’. They clearly have no idea that I’m laughing out loud to myself.

You can ‘like’ Nat and Kiki’s Radio Show on Facebook, and tune in at www.brookesradio.com.