Mary Anne Hobbs

Born in Preston, Lancashire, and raised in Garstang, Mary Anne Hobbs first made her name in the British music press before moving into radio. She has worked as a DJ, curator and journalist with a focus on electronic music and its fringes. After early roles at Sounds and NME in the 1980s and 1990s, she joined BBC Radio 1 in 1996, presented the Rock Show from 1999 to 2005, and developed The Breezeblock—later renamed Experimental—creating a space for bass aesthetics, dubstep, grime, techno and experimental electronica. Her 2006 special Dubstep Warz helped bring radio visibility to a scene that was still largely local at the time. Alongside broadcasting she has DJed at international festivals and stages, notably Sónar, where she programmed and supported artists from dubstep, leftfield and club scenes. Releases under her name are mainly compilations, including Warrior Dubz (2006), Evangeline (2008) and Wild Angels (2009). After a stint at XFM Manchester, she has continued since 2012 at BBC Radio 6 Music, developing formats that blend club culture, ambient, dark textures and intersections with contemporary art.