BBC: Ergatoudis Out, Bristol Knocked for 6

It’s the latest in a series of high profile BBC execs jumping ship for streaming services- George Ergatoudis (pictured) is to leave the BBC to join Spotify in the newly created position of head of content programming for the UK.

Ergatoudis has spent ten years as head of music for Radio 1, previously holding the same position at 1Xtra, which he helped to establish in 2002.

Ergatoudis commented: “I am leaving BBC Radio 1, the world’s greatest music radio station, to join the world’s leading digital music service and I couldn’t be more excited. There are huge opportunities ahead for Spotify and I am delighted to be joining their brilliant team. My passion for music has driven my entire career and this next step is like a dream come true”.

Spotify’s global head of content programming Nick Holmstén added: “George is one of the most well known and well respected figures in the British music industry, and we are enormously proud and excited to have him join us at Spotify. His gifts for music curation and identifying exciting new talent are second to none, and I can think of no one better to help Spotify introduce music fans to a wealth of new music and a new generation of artists that they are going to love”.

In other Beeb news, it has been announced that 6 Music’s third annual festival will be held in Bristol next year, following previous stints in Manchester and Tyneside.

Primal Scream, Roni Size and Tricky are confirmed to play and 6 Music will broadcast from venues including The Colston Hall, O2 Academy and Trinity from 12th-14th February next year. The complete line-up will be revealed in January.

Announcing the festival in Bristol alongside Steve Lamaq, DJ Mary Anne Hobbs said: “This year, the festival is coming to Bristol, a place where music is such a primary element of the DNA of the city. The 6 Music Festival is such a special event because it brings all the elements of what we do as a digital radio station into a physical space – the artists, the whole of the station’s staff and presenters, and of course our wonderful listeners”.