Arielle Free is a Scottish DJ and broadcaster. She is known for touring the world as a globally celebrated DJ, music producer, label and club night owner. Her high energy and infectious dj sets have captured audiences worldwide.
On 6 September 2019, Free began presenting the weekend early breakfast show on BBC Radio 1, which included Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings.[1] In January 2021, she moved to the weekday early breakfast show from Monday to Thursday.[2]
Free is also the voice of Radio 1’s Dance live stream and can be heard on the station 35 hours a week.
As a DJ, Free can often be found playing on Club and Festival bills as well as touring her own club night Free Your Mind. She also has a record label under the same name.
Early life
Free was born in Stirling until moving to Glasgow when she was ten years old. She considers herself to be a Glaswegian. Free began dancing when she was eight years old, and attended the Dance School of Scotland at Knightswood Secondary School.[3][4][5]
Career
Film and television
Free acted in the Beauxbatons scenes in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005).[3][6]
Free presented the children’s TV show Scrambled! on ITV.[5] While presenting the show on 3 October 2017, Free took part in a world record attempt for the most limbos achieved by a team of 25 people in three minutes. The team set a record of 142 limbos, verified by the Guinness World Records.[7]
Radio and podcasts
Free and Kem Cetinay co-presented the official Love Island podcast Love Island: The Morning After from its inception in 2018 until they were replaced by Indiyah Polack and Sam Thompson at the end of the 2022 season.[8][9]
On 6 September 2019, Free began presenting the weekend early breakfast show on BBC Radio 1, which included Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings.[1] In January 2021, she moved to the weekday early breakfast show from Monday to Thursday.[2]
Free is also the voice of Radio 1’s Dance live stream and can be heard on the station 35 hours a week.
As a DJ, Free can often be found playing on Club and Festival bills as well as touring her own club night Free Your Mind. She also has a record label under the same name.
On 21 August 2021, Free and Lawrence Chaney, winner of the second series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, co-hosted a show on BBC Radio 1 in honour of the station’s Drag Day.[10]
Music
Singles
| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| “Soul Full” (featuring Joe Killington) |
2022 |
| “Free Your Mind” (featuring Jake Shears)[13] |
2023 |
| “Levitate” (with GotSome & Icarus)[14] | |
| “Feels So Good”[15] | |
| “Blow My Mind” (with GHSTGHSTGHST) | 2024 |
| Lulu “Shout” (Arielle Free Remix) | 2024 |
| Wasabi | 2024 |
| “Control” (featuring Be Charlotte) | 2024 |
| “Shy” (with Might Delete Later) | 2025 |
| “Mind, Body & Soul” (with Tristan Henry) | 2025 |
| “Take Me There” (with Nadiah) | 2025 |
| “U Get Me High” | 2025 |
Comic Relief Challenge
On 5 March 2023, Free began the Tour De Dance[16] challenge to raise money for the charity Comic Relief. This was a five-day event where she completed 50 hours of simultaneous cycling and DJing, touring five UK cities. The challenge was completed on a vehicle powered by ten cyclists, with volunteers joining for sections of the journey in York, Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, and Liverpool.[17]
Over £500,000 was raised for Comic Relief in Free’s name by the end of the challenge.[18]
References
- ^ a b “Arielle Free to present new Radio 1 weekend early breakfast”. BBC News. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- ^ a b “Radio 1 announces new presenter line-up”. BBC News. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- ^ a b “Arielle Free”. Music Musings & Such. 29 May 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- ^ “BBC Radio One star Arielle Free says she is a weegie and Glasgow made her streetwise”. Glasgow Times. 8 February 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ a b Curtis, Liam (30 July 2019). “Get to know Radio 1’s Arielle Free”. HITC. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- ^ Greenaway, Heather (27 June 2015). “Harry Potter star Arielle Free on fronting her first T in the Park”. Daily Record. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ “Most limbos in three minutes (team of 25)”. Guinness World Records. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- ^ Taylor, Frances (26 May 2018). “Kem Cetinay to host new official Love Island podcast The Morning After”. Radio Times. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- ^ “Sam Thompson announced as the brand new Love Island podcast co-host | Insanity”. insanity.com. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
- ^ Lyons, Bev (12 August 2021). “Scots Drag Race UK winner Lawrence Chaney taking over Radio 1 for Drag Day”. Daily Record. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- ^ Bashforth, Emily (2 August 2023). “BBC Radio 1 DJ Arielle Free ‘suspended’ after heated on-air exchange with co-host Charlie Hedges”. Metro. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
- ^ “Radio 1 DJ Arielle Free pulled off air after clash with presenter Charlie Hedges during live Ibiza show”. Sky News. 1 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ “Arielle Free Launches ‘Free Your Mind’ & Catchy Single ‘Technicolour Kenny’ ft Jake Shears on Vocals”. Clubbing TV. 16 June 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
- ^ “Levitate – Single by Arielle Free, GotSome, Icarus”. Apple Music. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
- ^ “Feels So Good – Single by Arielle Free”. Apple Music. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
- ^ “Arielle Free’s Tour De Dance | Comic Relief”. www.comicrelief.com. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
- ^ “Red Nose Day 2023: Arielle Free finishes Comic Relief cycling challenge”. BBC Newsround. 8 March 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
- ^ Radio 1’s Tour de Dance for Red Nose Day, BBC Radio 1 Broadcast, 9 March 2023,
External links
- Radio 1’s Rave-Up with Arielle Free (BBC Radio 1)
- Radio 1 Dance Morning (BBC Radio 1 Dance)