After 33 years of presenting the National Eisteddfod for BBC Cymru Wales, rugby commentator Huw Llywelyn Davies will be bowing out after this year’s festival at the Vale of Glamorgan.
During the full week of coverage, Huw Llywelyn Davies (from Gwaun Cae Gurwen) will be leading the way during the daily ceremonies, with Caryl Parry Jones (from Rhyl) and Nia Roberts (from Benllech) bringing all the competitions to audiences at home. Iolo ap Dafydd (from Llanrwst) will be roaming the field in search of stories, while Rhun ap Iorwerth (from Llandegfan) will be presenting the daily highlights each evening.
“I’ve been extremely lucky to have had so many varied experiences during my career – broadcasting in so many different fields on radio and television. But nothing’s given me more pleasure over the years than that first week in August and the annual event of the National Eisteddfod,” says Huw.
“It’s difficult to believe, but I have presented for the BBC from the Eisteddfod every year since joining the Corporation in 1979 – Dyffryn Lliw in 1980 was the first. It’s odd to think that this will be my last year, but every good thing comes to an end and I will get the opportunity to enjoy next year as a punter!”
The presenters are gearing up for this greatly-anticipated week to bring the excitement of the event to viewers across the country. This year will be the first time for Nia Roberts to present from the festival for around 10 years and the first time ever for Iolo ap Dafydd to be a part of the team.
“As part of the presentation team at the Vale of Glamorgan National Eisteddfod this year, I will be looking for all sorts of fascinating snippets – probably in a more leisurely manner than the usual hubbub of news programmes!” says news correspondent Iolo.
The studio will be bursting with special guests, including Archdruid-Elect Christine James and all the main competition winners. Dylan Foster Evans and Dylan Iorwerth will be analysing and celebrating the winning compositions, with expert commentary from the poets Gwyneth Lewis and Meirion Macintyre Huws.
There will also be special evening broadcasts during the week with a round-up of events at the Literary Pavilion.
BBC Radio Cymru will of course be brimming with Eisteddfod action with Hywel Gwynfryn and Rhiannon Lewis bringing the stage competitions live from 10.30am every day, with competition coverage late into the night on Wednesday and Friday.
Nia Lloyd Jones will be in the nerve-filled backstage area of the Pavillion, Stifyn Parri is out and about on the maes (field) and Daf and Caryl will join the happy campers on the caravan sites every morning. On Sunday, both Oedfa’r Eisteddfod (Eisteddfod Service) at 12pm and Cymanfa Ganu (festival of hymn singing) at 8pm will be broadcast live.
Saturday brings a long-awaited highlight for many, the final of Radio Cymru’s Y Talwrn, held in the Pabell Lên (literary pavilion) and broadcast that night at 7.30pm.
Tocyn Wythnos with Beti George on Saturday, 6.15pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, 6.15pm and Wednesday and Friday, 7pm, is required listening to catch up on the day’s events.
Each day at 1pm Dylan Jones will track down the stories of the day in Taro’r Post from the maes, followed by Ffion Dafis with the best from the Babell Lên.
The C2 crew will be in full force, bringing the best beats from Maes B, with Huw Stephens, Lisa Gwilym, Huw Evans, Daniel Glyn and Magi Dodd. Online bbc.co.uk/c2 there will be a chance to view video clips of the week’s best interviews.
