Four Fellowships awarded at 2024 Radio Academy Festival

Adele Cross, Kellie While, Liam Fisher and Phil Maguire have each been awarded Fellowships at this year’s Radio Academy Festival.

Adele Cross is currently producer of 1Xtra Breakfast with Nadia Jae. She began her radio career working behind the scenes, as a producer and gradually transitioning into on-air roles.

She has been involved with BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra. At BBC Radio 1, she contributed to some of the station’s shows, supporting the station’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge music and entertainment content.

Adele’s fellowship was awarded by Ray Paul, Creative Director, The Playmaker Group, who said: “Adele is a producer, the Chair of the Multi-Story Orchestra, an educational consultant and the founder of The Crosspoint Consultancy which gives career and development coaching for 18–30-year-olds.

“Her award shelf is already stocked with ARIAS, urban music awards and Asian media awards. She is a total radio and content geek – and long may it continue. I am incredibly proud of her.”

Kellie While is Head of 7digital Creative. A specialist in music and arts-based content, her radio production credits include the BBC Radio 2 Folk Show, the Radio 2 Folk Awards and coverage of the Cambridge Folk Festival, Celtic Connections and BBC Electric Proms as well as events such as The Radio Academy Festival and myriad ad hoc documentaries and programmes for Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 4, BBC World Service, Radio 5 Live, 6 Music and Sky Arts.

Presenting Kellie’s award and with a video message from Mark Radcliffe, Helen Thomas, Head of BBC Radio 2, said: “Many of the biggest and best specialist music projects would not exist on the BBC and further afield if it wasn’t for Kellie’s passion, leadership and creativity. What makes Kellie so special is her love of storytelling, the factual side of radio, as well as music.”

Liam Fisher is head of talkSPORT. He has worked for News Broadcasting, formerly Wireless, for 25 years.

Presenting Liam’s fellowship, Scott Taunton EVP, President of Broadcasting, News UK said: “Liam has changed the landscape of live sports on the radio across the years.

“Most recently securing the first commercial radio coverage of the Olympic Games, featuring ten Team GB medal winners including iconic Olympians Dame Kelly Holmes, Tessa Sanderson and Sir Steve Redgrave live on talkSPORT for Paris 2024.

“It’s no exaggeration to say that talkSPORT would not be what it is today without Liam’s professionalism, expertise, vision, leadership and special people skills. He has fostered so many careers, provided leadership to dozens of teams, and been fundamental to creating the enormously successful, multi-platform brand that talkSPORT has become.”

Phil Maguire OBE is Chief Executive of the Prison Radio Association. Awarded an OBE for service to radio production and prison radio in 2019, Phil is a Trustee of Prisoners Abroad, Manchester’s Reform Radio and The Radio Academy.

He has spent the past 18 years as founding Chief Executive of the PRA – providing strategic, operational, editorial and creative leadership to this multi award-winning organisation, specialising in creating ‘media for change’.

Phil’s Fellowship was presented by Roma Hooper, Chair of Clinks and Founder of the Prison Radio Association who said: “Phil is warm and generous, a very talented producer, great networker and his ambition to make sure the world knows the benefit of prison radio has led him to set up Prison Radio International.

“These phenomenal achievements deserve huge credit, and he is an utter joy to work with. He is an inspiration to all those he works with including our prisoners.”