REGGAE broadcaster David Rodigan is to join BBC Radio 1Xtra, weeks after he ended his long association with London's hip Kiss FM.

Starting February 17, Rodigan, 61, will host a two-hour show on Sundays. In the summer, he will be on BBC Radio 2 for a 13-part series, Britain's Press Association reported yesterday.

Rodigan ended his over 20-year relationship with Kiss FM in November, saying he was tired of the station's "marginalisation" of his music. His show had been moved to a midnight slot.

"I am absolutely delighted to be joining BBC Radio 1Xtra where I can share my passion for both new cutting-edge reggae and classic cuts, reflecting a genre of music which continues to play a paramount role in urban bass culture music," the Press Association quoted Rodigan.

Ben Cooper, a senior manager at BBC Radio 1Xtra, said: "David Rodigan is a legend in broadcasting and it will be great to listen to him on Sunday evenings on BBC Radio 1Xtra. It's fantastic to welcome someone with his unrivalled knowledge and passion for reggae to the BBC."

Rodigan began his radio career on BBC Radio London more than 30 years ago. Highly respected as an authority on Jamaican music, particularly from the 1960s and 1970s, he figured in many sound system clashes in Jamaica during the 1980s.