BBC Radio 3 in desperate pitch for youth

The BBC’s ailing classical music channel – down 20 percent in two years – has signed saxophonist Jess Gillam, 20, as presenter of a Saturday show, This Classical Life.

The plan is that she will interview musicians of her own age. Among those lined up are Isata Kanneh-Mason, double bassist Sam Becker, sound artist Belle Chen and TV composer Ollie Howell.

Gillam, who is a bright spark with a Decca record contract, will go far. But the gambit of hiring a young musician presenter with a view to attracting young audiences has been tried over and over on Classic FM without in any way denting the station’s mature age profile – except perhaps to alienate some of the diehards.

We expect nothing original of Radio 3 these days.