'Nothing is off limits' in new BBC News NI podcast
For years, Tara Mills and Declan Harvey have been synonymous with radio and television coverage in Northern Ireland - but they are now making the jump to a new medium.
The duo are spearheading The State of Us - a podcast which aims to tackle news stories that impact Northern Ireland in a fresh way.
"We're allowed to loosen the top button a little bit and that's really exciting," Declan said.
The first episode is set to be released next week.
"The podcast world is very busy," Tara admits, "but it's also very successful.
"There's definitely an appetite for going and finding your news in slightly different ways," she adds.
The State of Us hopes to offer a more informal, conversational approach to the news agenda.
"We do a lot of discussing and debating stories," said Tara. "We just thought, where is there space for that?
"Maybe there's room to go down the rabbit holes and into the weeds of stories that don't get the time on other BBC outlets."
The podcast will expand upon the range of stories that the BBC is reflecting, by offering a platform for them to breathe.
""In TV and radio there is a lot of time pressure. We have been released from that pressure," Declan says.
Both Tara and Declan will still be keeping on their day jobs as BBC Newsline presenters.
The name of the podcast is one that will be recognisable to people living in Northern Ireland.
"It's like 'up the Lagan in a bubble'. It's kind of one of those phrases that we say that is quite peculiar to us in Northern Ireland," Tara said.
Declan expressed how the name sets the tone for what the podcast aspires to represent.
"We're just going to talk about the state of us. The good, the bad, what could be better and the stuff we are doing brilliantly. ," he said.
The relationship with the audience will be key to the podcast.
"This should feel like you're just having a chat with friends," says Declan.
"We laugh, we joke, we pull apart the bits that are stressful - why can't we have a conversation about the news like that?"
As Tara puts it: "We want people to get knowledge, friendship, companionship and a bit of craic."
The pair were keen to emphasise this will be completely different to what audiences have come to expect.
"We're really excited at covering just a massive range of stories, we've been told that nothing is off limits, and we intend to make the most of that."
Tara and Declan have worked together within BBC News NI for more than half a decade.
They struck up a friendship presenting BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra together and working as part of the BBC Newsline television team.
"For as long as I've known Tara, we have always chatted and debated the news and laughed about things outside of the studio.
"What this is doing is just putting a microphone in front of that conversation and hopefully people will join us in the conversation as well," Declan finished.
Kevin Kelly, head of news and current affairs at BBC News NI, said it was an "exciting new addition to our stable of content for BBC audiences in Northern Ireland and further afield".
"The State of Us" podcast will talk about the news, make the news, and help people learn about news stories in an informative and engaging way. It will tackle the big stories, and the serious issues affecting all our lives, and will hopefully have some fun as well along the way," he added.
He said it would increase BBC News NI's digital programme footprint.
Tara and Declan will be delivering two episodes of "the State of Us" each week and it will also be available on BBC Radio Ulster on Sunday mornings.
The release of the podcast coincides with the streamlining of Evening Extra into a dedicated news hour from 17:00 BST to 18:00 focusing on the latest news updates and breaking stories.
Click here to subscribe and listen to the latest episode on BBC Sounds every Tuesday and Thursday.
You can get in touch with the team by contacting thestateofus@bbc.co.uk.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick suspended by BBC over 'unacceptable' language at Blackpool Strictly show
An actor known for playing Jay Brown in EastEnders has been suspended over the alleged use of a disabled slur on the Strictly Come Dancing set. Jamie Borthwick is said to have made the offensive remark on a phone video while the Strictly cast were at Blackpool Tower Ballroom last November. He is understood to have used the term to describe the people of Blackpool, the town where the show was being filmed, The Sun on Sunday first reported. READ MORE: Tom Jones shares heartbreaking words his wife told him before dying of cancer READ MORE: Jane McDonald says it's a 'good job' she didn't date James Martin after awkward encounter After being suspended from the BBC soap, a spokesperson for the corporation said: 'This language is entirely unacceptable and in no way reflects the values or standards we hold and expect at the BBC. 'We have robust processes in place for this.' Warren Kirwan, media manager at disability equality charity Scope, said: 'Attitudes and language like this are never acceptable. It's not just ignorant and hurtful to disabled people, it has wider consequences. 'Negative attitudes hold disabled people back in all areas of life, from getting a job to shopping on the high street. 'Mr Borthwick needs to reflect on what he said, educate himself and do better. We hope he takes the opportunity to get to know the reality of disabled people's lives.' Borthwick won the Strictly 2023 Christmas special with Nancy Xu, and won the best actor gong at the Inside Soap Awards in September that year, with the show recognised with the best storyline for Loving And Losing Lola, about character Lola Pearce-Brown's brain tumour diagnosis. As part of the storyline, Borthwick, as Lola's husband Jay, and Emma Barton, as Honey Mitchell, ran the London Marathon in character in honour of Lola after her death. His suspension comes after Wynne Evans last week said he had been dropped by the BBC, following an apology saying that he used 'inappropriate language' during the launch of the Strictly Come Dancing tour. The Welsh opera singer, 53, known for the insurance advertisements, will no longer be a BBC Radio Wales presenter, he announced on May 30. Earlier this year, he apologised for language that he called 'inappropriate and unacceptable' after The Mail On Sunday reported that Evans was heard making a remark to a woman in a video filmed during the Strictly launch event. It is understood he was given a warning over the remark by tour producers.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
EastEnders star suspended by BBC after disabled slur on Strictly set
EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick has been suspended by the BBC after using a disabled slur on the Strictly Come Dancing set. A video emerged of the actor, who plays Jay Brown on the soap, using the term to describe the people of Blackpool, the town where the show was being filmed, The Sun on Sunday first reported. Borthwick is said to have made the offensive remark on a phone video while the Strictly cast were at Blackpool Tower Ballroom last November. A spokesperson for the BBC said: 'This language is entirely unacceptable and in no way reflects the values or standards we hold and expect at the BBC. 'We have robust processes in place for this.' Warren Kirwan, media manager at disability equality charity Scope, said: 'Attitudes and language like this are never acceptable. 'It's not just ignorant and hurtful to disabled people, it has wider consequences. 'Negative attitudes hold disabled people back in all areas of life, from getting a job to shopping on the high street. 'Mr Borthwick needs to reflect on what he said, educate himself and do better. 'We hope he takes the opportunity to get to know the reality of disabled people's lives.' Borthwick won the Strictly 2023 Christmas special with Nancy Xu, and won the best actor gong at the Inside Soap Awards in September that year, with the show recognised with the best storyline for Loving And Losing Lola, about character Lola Pearce-Brown's brain tumour diagnosis. As part of the storyline, Borthwick, as Lola's husband Jay, and Emma Barton, as Honey Mitchell, ran the London Marathon in character in honour of Lola after her death. His suspension comes after Wynne Evans last week said he had been dropped by the BBC, following an apology saying that he used 'inappropriate language' during the launch of the Strictly Come Dancing tour. The Welsh opera singer, 53, known for the insurance advertisements, will no longer be a BBC Radio Wales presenter, he announced on May 30. Earlier this year, he apologised for language that he called 'inappropriate and unacceptable' after The Mail On Sunday reported that Evans was heard making a remark to a woman in a video filmed during the Strictly launch event. It is understood he was given a warning over the remark by tour producers. In January, he said: 'I've agreed with the BBC that I'll take some time out from my radio show and the Strictly Live tour, as well as my other public commitments, to prioritise my wellbeing. 'I am deeply sorry for the pain my inappropriate actions have caused, and plan to take this time for self-reflection. 'Apologies to those I won't get to see at the remaining performances and I'm grateful to my fellow tour gang for all the amazing support they have given me.' The singer, who performed in the 25th anniversary of The Phantom Of The Opera and also won 2023's Celebrity MasterChef, told The Sun on Sunday earlier this month that the Strictly comment was not sexual or directed at one of the female cast but was a nickname for fellow contestant Borthwick. He told the paper: 'I didn't see the statement, Old Spit-roast Boy was a nickname for Jamie Borthwick. I'm not a bad guy, I'm not a misogynist, I'm not any of these things.' Evans added: 'And so I went, 'I'm so sorry'. And that was taken as a formal apology, so the press team issued a statement. I didn't see it. 'When I read the apology within the context of the story as it had been written, I was absolutely horrified.' The Strictly tour saw contestants of the most recent series return to the dancefloor, including Love Island star Tasha Ghouri, actress Sarah Hadland, JLS singer JB Gill, The X Factor winner Shayne Ward and Gladiators star Montell Douglas. They toured the country alongside Strictly judges Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse, performing in cities including Birmingham, Sheffield, Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester and London.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
EastEnders star suspended over 'unacceptable' language
EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick has been suspended by the BBC after using a slur against people with disabilities on the set of Strictly Come Dancing. The offensive remark was made last November during filming for the BBC dance show's flagship Blackpool week, the Sun on Sunday reported. The BBC said his language was 'entirely unacceptable and in no way reflects the values or standards we hold and expect'. The newspaper said that Borthwick, who plays Jay Brown - a key long-running character on the soap - apologised for "any offence and upset". BBC News has approached his representatives for a comment. Disability charity Scope said Borthwick should reflect on what he said and educate himself. "We hope he takes the opportunity to get to know the reality of disabled people's lives,' said the organisation's media manager Warren Kirwan. Borthwick has been on EastEnders since 2006. The 30-year-old took part in the latest series of Strictly, where he was paired with professional dancer Michelle Tsiakkas.
