A SOUTHEND woman who produces a BBC Radio 2 show starring renowned comedian Romesh Ranganathan has scooped a top award at the “Oscars of UK radio and audio”. 

Karen Pearson, CEO of Folded Wing, won gold in the category “best specialist music show” at the Audio and Radio Industry Awards.

Folded Wing is a company that produces content by collaborating with artists, creators, producers, and musicians.

It was set up by Karen in her Southend flat back in 2006 and she was soon being described as “the Queen of the podcast”.

Folded Wing has won many awards over the years including being the youngest company to win a Sony Gold Award in 2008. More recently, they have also won “best innovation” at the New York Radio Awards.

Karen grew up in Southend and Folded Wings is now based at The Fisherman’s Chapel in Leigh.

She said: “I started Folded Wing in 2006 and we have been winning awards consistently since then.

“But this feels like a whole new chapter because we are now winning gold awards for specialist shows on the UK’s biggest station.

“I have been on a long mission to get hip hop onto BBC Radio 2 and Romesh winning a gold award for best specialist music show is recognition of his amazing work on the show, and that of our brilliant team, and is just the best feeling ever.”

Romesh’s show is a weekly hip hop show on BBC Radio 2.

For The Love Of Hip Hop is an original Folded Wing production and was commissioned by the BBC in 2021 as a four-part series.

Folded Wing’s long-standing show for The British Council – Selector Radio presented by Jamz Supernova – was also nominated.

Karen’s mum, Sandie Pearson, had been working with her daughter at Folded Wing for the past 14 years, until she recently retired.

She added: “I am so proud of my daughter as nothing as been easy for her.

“She had severe asthma when she was at school, so was in and out of hospital. I also brought her up on my own.

“I am the proudest mum to see her grow and become the beautiful confident lady.”