Special programme, created in partnership with Campaign Against Living Miserably, will air at 1pm and be available on the Rayo app 

Planet Rock and Kerrang! Radio will simulcast a powerful new radio special at 1pm on World Suicide Prevention Day, aiming to change the way the nation talks about suicide.

Hosted by award-winning journalist and broadcaster Mick Coyle, the programme asks one direct, potentially life-saving question: “Are you feeling suicidal?”

The special will air simultaneously on Planet Rock and Kerrang! Radio, two trusted Bauer Media Audio rock brands, and will also be available on the Rayo app.

Created alongside Campaign Against Living Miserably, known as CALM, as a signposting partner, the programme brings together lived experience, expert insight and responsible broadcasting to challenge stigma, open up conversation, and equip listeners with the confidence to ask a question many people fear saying out loud.

At the heart of the programme is a deeply personal interview with Blaze Bayley, former Iron Maiden frontman, who speaks candidly about his own experiences of suicidal thoughts and severe depression.

Bayley says: “It is important to me. I’ve suffered myself… with suicidal thoughts, with severe depression. I’ve been very close twice to… causing my own death.”  

In one of the programme’s most powerful moments, he directly challenges the silence around suicide, saying: “Why not ask a question? A simple question… Are you feeling suicidal?”  

The programme also tackles one of the most persistent myths around suicide: that asking someone directly if they are suicidal could make things worse. Instead, contributors explain why compassionate, direct conversation can create an open door for someone in crisis.

In the programme, Mick Coyle says:“For decades, if not centuries, we believed that asking the question, ‘Are you feeling suicidal?’ will somehow plant an idea in someone’s head… Well, today we’re here to tell you that the complete opposite is true.”  

The need for the conversation is urgent. The programme highlights that in the UK, someone takes their own life every 90 minutes, with more than 7,000 deaths by suicide every year. It also notes that suicide is the leading cause of death in men under 50, with men three times more likely to die by suicide than women .

The need for the conversation is urgent. The programme highlights that in the UK, someone takes their own life every 90 minutes, with more than 7,000 deaths by suicide every year. It also notes that suicide is the leading cause of death in men under 50, with men three times more likely to die by suicide than women .

Speaking in the special, Wendy Robinson, Services Director at Campaign Against Living Miserably, explains why the programme matters: “The only way we can address the needs that people might have is to get more comfortable saying it.” [8]

She adds that listeners do not need to be experts to make a difference:

“You don’t have to be an expert. You just have to care about somebody and remember that care means check in, ask how they are, remain available and help them get expert help if they need it.” [8]

Robinson also underlines the wider importance of a broadcast like this:  “Of course, absolutely. And it’s only when we all start doing something about it that the tide is going to turn and we’re going to see those suicide rates drop.” [8]

The programme arrives at a critical moment, aligning with the World Suicide Prevention Day theme of changing the narrative on suicide. Through honest testimony and careful signposting, the special aims to move the conversation beyond awareness and towards action — giving listeners the words, confidence and permission to reach in when someone may be struggling.

Mick Coyle said: “This programme is about giving people the confidence to ask a difficult question in a caring way. Suicide is too often treated as something unsayable. But if we are going to change the narrative, we have to be brave enough to talk about it clearly, responsibly and compassionately.”  

The special represents bold, responsible broadcasting from trusted radio brands with deep connections to their audiences. By placing lived experience, expert guidance and practical support at the centre of the programme, Planet Rock and Kerrang! Radio are using their platforms to address one of the most urgent public health issues of our time.

The programme will be simulcast on Planet Rock and Kerrang! Radio at 1pm on World Suicide Prevention Day and will also be available afterwards on the Rayo app.