BBC Radio Solent

BBC Radio Solent is named for the waterway between the south coast of England and the Isle of Wight. Its service area includes communities with strong connections across that stretch of coast, particularly in Hampshire. Southampton is one of its main urban centres, with island communities and neighbouring coastal towns contributing other perspectives.

Local reporting and conversation can follow issues that cross the Solent as well as stories belonging to one port, island or mainland town. Travel, public decisions, sport and coastal life can each take on a specifically local meaning. The programme belongs to BBC Local Radio and may include shared output. A Solent identity does not promise that every broadcast has the same geographic focus.

Football reporting follows Southampton, Portsmouth and AFC Bournemouth, with interviews, analysis and archive features documenting the clubs' fortunes. The station's local-history collections include Secret Hampshire, Secret Dorset and Secret Isle of Wight, exploring subjects from Portsmouth's unusual buildings to the Polish destroyer involved in defending Cowes. Kamilah McInnis contributes conversations with African and Caribbean communities across the south, including musicians and people working in education and public life.

The historical material extends beyond maritime subjects, with Secret Dorset examining the experiences of Black American servicemen and Secret Hampshire investigating details of the built environment. Current reporting and archive features therefore cover different aspects of coastal life. Listener stories through Your Voice and creative contributions through Upload add further perspectives to the regional programme.