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BBC News presenter Ros Atkins has shared a drum & bass DJ mix for BBC 6 Music’s Desert Island Disco All-Dayer. 

The journalist, who presents Outside Source on the BBC News channel and is known for his viral explainer videos on social media, recently revealed that he was a drum & bass DJ back in his 20s.

Last night (Monday 17th January) he featured on BBC Radio 6 music’s 18:30 slot Desert Island Disco with a mix inspired by nights spent at Electric Brixton in South London. He was asked to appear on the programme after producers at BBC Radio 6 read an interview he did with the Observer that brought up his DJing history. 

The journalist took to Twitter to share the history behind his love for drum & bass alongside some photos from his DJing days in the ‘90s in clubs such as Milton Keynes’ Sanctuary. Inspired by the likes of LTJ Bukem, Ray Keith, DJ Storm, Dillinja, DJ Hype and Kenny Ken, he wrote, “I started to buy a lot of D&B and, through my 20s, in a very amateur fashion, I DJed a range of music in London, Cornwall and Cambridge.

“I also lived in South Africa for a while and, improbably, ended up playing in the D&B room at a huge rave in Joburg train station.

“Then in 2006, I got booked to play a festival in Regent’s Park. It was a reasonably sweaty affair… A few days later, our eldest daughter was born and suddenly I had a lot less time and energy! DJing didn’t fit into life so well and I’ve not done a gig since.”

Mentioning how he selected which tracks to feature in the mix alongside a long-time friend who he shares his love for drum & bass with, he wrote, “We’re a bit greyer but no less enthusiastic about it all than we were back in the 90s.” He went on to explain the honour he felt being asked to feature on the show and admitted, “I’m not so secretly hoping they might have me back.”

His setlist features tracks spanning from the ‘90s to the modern day from the likes of DJ Hype & Ganja Max, Dred Bass, Shimon & Andy C and Calibre. You can listen here. 

THREAD 1/11: Now here’s a story. Back in the 90s, along with lots of teenagers in Cornwall, I started going to raves & listening to hardcore and drum & bass. Here’s me and my mate Ollie after a long night (Helter Skelter, Milton Keynes, 97…). And yes that is a high viz jacket. pic.twitter.com/Z6NMJA26rc

— Ros Atkins (@BBCRosAtkins) January 17, 2022

Revisit our feature on the top ten essential jungle and drum & bass documentaries to watch online.