This month we take a look behind the scenes of a Ceredigion-based production company.
Podcaster, presenter and producer Hannah Loy is founder of Read the Room Productions.
She also produces and presents ongoing BBC Sounds series The Aberystwyth Book Club.
We hope you enjoy an insight into the story behind this special company.
My love for radio began at university where I made a five-minute radio drama based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. After working at a number of community radio stations, I was invited to do a month’s work experience at the BBC, which eventually led to my first job working at the iconic Maida Vale studios.
In 2010, I moved to Cardiff where I worked as a researcher in the television archive. I fell madly in love with Wales but missed working in radio and took a number of attachments at BBC Radio Wales, before becoming a full-time member of staff, first as a researcher and then as a producer.
I worked across nearly all of their daily and weekly programming and in addition made documentaries for them, BBC Radio 4, and BBC World Service.
In 2024, after nearly eighteen years at the BBC, I made the scary decision to leave and set up my own production company in rural west Wales.
Current and Future Projects
I present and produce an ongoing series on BBC Sounds called The Aberystwyth Book Club
, which we take to Hay Festival every year to record in front of an audience.
It’s basically a book club on the radio featuring everyday readers from the town and it is an absolute joy to make.
In 2025 I produced a podcast series for British Council Wales called Breaking Boundaries, which was a concept devised after being lucky enough to go on a Literature Scoping trip to Zimbabwe and South Africa.
The series highlights some incredible collaborations between Welsh and international artists.
I continue to pitch podcast and radio ideas all year round and have also done some podcast consultancy and training locally.
In 2026, I’m hoping to launch a new strand to Read the Room Productions, helping authors and small indie publishers create professional quality audiobooks, without the need to hire a studio.
I’m also hoping to launch 1-1 sessions online for podcast consultancy, training and advice.
What do you find most rewarding about your work?
What I love about making podcasts and radio programmes is the creative freedom and control. In comparision to television, the budgets are tiny but that means you often get to do ALL the production, including research, interviewing, script-writing, recording, editing, adding music and sound fx, mixing and mastering. I find making a full project in this way, from concept to delivery, incredibly rewarding.
What is the best thing about establishing a business in West Wales?
I have found getting to know the local freelance and creative community one of the best things about basing my company in rural Wales near Aberstwyth. There are so many brilliant people doing and making brilliant things.
What are the advantages of being involved in the Creative West Wales network?
You never know who you are going to meet and spark ideas with at the events and that is what makes it really exciting for me. There are new people finding out about Creative West Wales all the time and it’s fascinating to find out about people’s career paths and stories. I’ve also found it really supportive.
People are keen to help each other wherever they can because they are proud of the work and the area they live in.
Any advice for someone starting a career in the industry?
Don’t be afraid to share your ideas and visions with people. It’s so important to be excited and proud of what you do or want to do.
Sharing helps you articulate your concepts more clearly and enthusiasm is infectious! It often leads to people wanting to help you or work with you in the future.
Creative discussions can be extremely useful to hear input and ideas from other people that you may not have even considered yet. |
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